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LIFE 



OF 



OLIYER CR01¥ELL 



Bt CHARLir^,ADAMS, 



.^" 



FOUR IUL.USTRATIONS. 



New Vork : 
PUBLISHED BY OAELTON & PORT 

SUNDAT-SCUOOI. LNIOX, '200 MULBERBY-8TEEET, 





Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, ^ 

BY CARLTON & PORTER, 

in th« Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for 
M • the Southern District of New York. 



1 ' ' ? 






/ // i ? 



PREFACE. ^/;? 



This book attempts a true and unprejudiced 
picture of a great and good man — a man who, 
with some marked faults, was distinguished 
by eminent virtues — who was great in arms 
and in statesmanship ; and, in his views of 
religious and civil liberty, stood a century 
in advance of his times ; and who, from early 
manhood to his death, feared and served his 
God with an earnestness of purpose and a 
depth and constancy of devotion rarely sur- 
passed. 

It will be seen that the author has made 
free use of available resources. The various 
English histories have not, of course, been 
neglected. D'Aubigne's " Yindication," and 
"Ideal's History of the Puritans," together 



6 PREFACE. 

with the encyclopedias, have been laid under 
contribution, while Carlyle's inimitable volumes 
have been largely consulted and drawn upon 
for both facts and embellishments. 

It is hoped that this humble effort to attract 
the attention of American youth to the most 
remarkable man of the seventeenth century, 
and one of the best abused men of history, will 
not be in vain. 

Illinois Female College, March 30, ISGT. 



CONTENTS, 



CHAPTER I 



Birtli of Cromwell — Childhood and Youth — Associations — • 
Huntingdon — Goes to Cambridge — Deaths — Goes to London 
— Marriage — Occupation Page 21 



CHAPTER 11. 

Fomiiug Tears of Life — Religious Awakening — Distress — 
Conversion — Deep Devotion — Religious Associates — Testi- 
monials 24 



CHAPTER IIL 

Cromwell in Parliament — Maiden Speech — Result — " What 
are we to expect?" — His Course foreshadowed — Appear- 
ance 27 



CHAPTER lY. 

The Eleven Years' Interim — Public Distress — CromwelPs 
removal — Pursuits — Interior Life — Moses in Midian 30 



o CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER y. 

A Letter — Humility — Eeligious Experience — Faith — Grati- 
tude — A Critic — The Critic rebuked Page S3 

CHAPTER VI. 

King Charles — Assembles a Parliament — Cromwell a Mem- 
ber for Cambridge — Parliament dismissed— " Long Parlia- 
ment "— Cromwell again a Member — His Personal Appear- 
ance—Dress — Carlyle's Comments — " Petition and Remon- 
strance " — Great Debate — Cromwell's Declaration 37 

CHAPTER YH. 

Dark Portents — Folly of the Kin^ — Demands upon Parlia- 
ment — Unsuccessful — Great Excitement — King leaves Lon- 
don—Preparations for War — Cromwell awake — Himself and 
Sons enter the Army — Sad Partings — Magnitude of the 
Cause •, 44 

CHAPTER Tin. 

Lord Digby — " That Sloven " — Hampton's memorable Reply 

— The Providential Man — Confused Views of him— The true 
View important 48 

CHAPTER IX. 

Royal Standard erected at Nottingham — King calls to Arms 

— Parliamentary Army — Cromwell's Proposal — He hastens to 
Cambridge — Great Military Preparations — Cromwell's Mil- 
itary Position and Character — His rapid Rise as an Officer 
— Battle of Edgehill — Cromwell's Proposal to Hampden — 
Executes his Plan — Decisive Results — Clarendon — D'Au- 
blgne ,',... 50 



i 



CONTENTS. 9 



CHAPTER X. 

Hampden killed in Battle — His excellent Character— Battle 
of Marston Moor — Great Slaughter — King defeated — " Iron- 
sides"— Letter of Cromwell— His Account of the Eight- 
Sympathy with the Afflicted Page 56 

CHAPTER Xi. 

Cromwell as a Commander — Chateanhriand and Milton's 
Testimony — Cromwell's impatience with dilatory Officers — 
His Protest in Parliament — Speech in Committee of the Whole 
— Urges the most vigorous Efforts 60 



CHAPTER XII. 

" gelf-denying Ordinance " — Cromwell continues in the 
Army — Appointed Lieutenant-General — Battle of Naseby — 
Another great Victory — Cromwell's Keport to Parliament — 
Commendations of the Soldiers — The Battle decisive — King's 
Treachery revealed 65 



CHAPTER XIIL 

Capture of Bristol — Great Spoils — Another Report to Par- 
liament— Cromwell attributes all Success to Divine Help — His 
Testimony to the Soldiers' Piety — His Views of Christian 
Union — A Curious Soldier — Comments 69 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Further Successes — Winchester captured — Cromwell's Mag- 
nanimity to the Enemy — Capture of Basing House — Hugh 



10 CONTENTS. 

Peters — Testimony of Cromwell — Close of first Civil War— 
Eoyalists defeated— King goes to the Scots — Cromwell re- 
turns to Parliament Page 73 

CHAPTER XV. 

Distressed State of England— King a Prisoner in tlie Isle of 
"Wiglit — Eoyalists — Presbyterians — London — Le velers — Di- 
vided Parliament— Approach of a Scotch Army — Eiots — 
Cromwell calls to Union — Falls Sick — Eeco vers — Letter to 
Eairfax 77 

CHAPTER XYL 

A "Protracted Meeting" at Windsor Castle — Prayer — 
Preaching — Self-searching — Reflection — Great Difficulty dis- 
covered — Bitter Weeping — Light — A most solemn De- 
cision 81 

CHAPTER XVIL 

Heavings and Disquiet — Uprising in Wales and Kent — A 
Scotch Army approaching — London Plotting for the King — 
Parliament vacillates — Cromwell on the War-path — Dashes 
upon the Scots — Great Victory at Preston — Report to Parlia- 
ment — Great Eejoicings — Scotch retreat North — Followed by 
Cromwell 86 

CHAPTER XVIIL 

Second Civil War ended — Parliament still vacillating — 
Sends a Commission to the King — Forty-day Conference — • 
King's double dealing — Cromwell's Discernment 91 



CONTENTS. 11 



CHAPTER XIX. 

The real Alternative— The Army Officers — Eemonstrance — 
Its Doctrines — Kesnlt in Parliament — Army approaches Lon- 
don — "Pride's Purge" — Grave Consequences — Concurrence 
of Cromwell Page 94 

CHAPTER XXr 

King brought to London — Charges prepared against him — 
Cromwell hesitates— His Dilemma — The Protests against the 
King's Trial — "High Court of Justice " — King arraigned — 
Refusal to plead — Condemned to die — Death Warrant — Exe- 
cution 99 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Shadows — Cromwell's Connection with the King's Death — 
Verdict of Posterity — Cromwell's Scruples — Ultimate Convic- 
tion — Character of Cromwell's Piety 105 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Council of State — Cromwell a Member — England declared 
a Commonwealth — Monarchy abolished — Richard Cromwell's 
Marriage — Letter to Richard's Father-in-law — News of a Vic- 
tory in Ireland — Another Letter — A Letter to his Daughter- 
in-law — His Domestic Character 109 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Cromwell starts for Ireland — Rides in State — Reaches Bris- 
tol — Embarks at Milford Haven — Arrives at Dublin — Grand 
Reception — His Speech — Great Applause 116 



12 CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Ireland — Its unhappy Condition — Massacres of Protestants 
— Shocking Details — Picture by Carlyle — Nearly all Ireland 
united against Cromwell — He smites the Foe Page 119 



CHAPTER XXY. 

Cromwell's Army — Its religious Character — One of two 
Plans of Operation — The one adopted — Its prompt Execu- 
tion — Fall of Drogheda — Details of the Siege — Wexford and 
Eoss reduced — Nearly the whole Country yields to the Con- 
queror 123 



CHAPTER XXYI. 

Ireland redeemed — Milton's Description of Cromwell's Sol- 
diers — Letter to Mr. Mayor — Neal — Cromwell embarks for 
England — Great Reception at Bristol — At London 130 



CHAPTER XXYIL 

Scotland opposed to the Commonwealth — Pavorable to the 
Succession of Charles II. — He is invited to Scotland — His 
Character — Cromwell marches with an Army to Scotland — 
Has been appointed Generalissimo — Letter to Mr. Mayor. 135 



CHAPTER XXYIIL 

Cromwell encamps across the Border — Issues a Proclama- 
tion — Asserts Uprightness of Motive — No harm intended 



CONTENTS. 13 

except against the Pretensions of Charles — Scots bent upon 
Ms Accession to the Throne — A large Army prepared to meet 
Cromwell — The Great Battle of Dunbar — Splendid Victory 
over the Scots — Cromwell's Eeport to Parliament Page 141 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Cromwell marches to Edinburgh — Ministers of Edinburgh 
flee to the Castle — Cromwell invites them to occupy their 
Pulpits as usual — Their Eeply — He expostulates with them 
— His Views of the Ministry 146 



CHAPTER XXX. 
Cromwell further Instructs the Ministers 150 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Edinburgh Castle summoned to surrender — Hume Castle — 
Mosstroopers — Sickness of Cromwell — Letter to his Wife — 
Letter to the President of the Council — Another Letter to his 
Wife— Letter to Mr. Mayor 153 

CHAPTER XXXII 

Battle and Victory of In verkeithing — Other Victories — King 
and Scotch suddenly enter England — Cromwell in hot Pursuit 
— Battle of Worcester — Great and decisive Victory — Crom- 
well's Report — The last Battle — Scotland — Bishop Burnet — • 
Other lAstorians 160 



14 CONTENTS. 



• CHAPTER XXXIII. 

Cromwell to Eev. Jolin Cotton of New England — Death of 
Ms Son-in-law, Ireton — Letter of Cromwell to his Daugh- 
ter Page 166 



CHAPTER XXXIY. 

Ireland and Scotland — England — Eump Parliament un- 
popular — Urged to dissolve Itself — Refuses — Attempts a Bill 
to perpetuate Itself — The News reported to Cromwell — He 
forcibly dissolves the Parliament — Dismisses the Council of 
State 171 

CHAPTER XXXY. 

Cromwell issues an Explanation — He nominates a new Par- 
liament — It assembles July 4, 1653 — Grave Inquiries — Crom- 
well's Views of the Situation — Fanatical Element — He claims 
Inspiration — Apology for his Extraordinary Conduct 175 

CHAPTER XXXYI. ; 

The "Little Parliament" — "Bare Bones" — Cromwell's 
Speech to the Parliament — Descants on various Topics — Title 
adopted by the Parliament — Council of State reappointed — • 
Result unsatisfactory and unsuccessful — Parliament resigned 
in five Months 178 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

Establishment of the Protectorate — Cromwell Lord Pro- 
tector — Inauguration — Imposing Ceremonies — Cromwell's per- 
sonal Appearance at this Time 182 



CONTENTS- 15 

CHAPTER XXXYIIL 

The Instrument of Government — Eemark — The new Govern- 
ment recognized by European Powers Page 185 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

The new Parliament opened with great Pomp — The Pro- 
tector's Speech — Important Suggestions 189 

CHAPTER XL. 

Parliament reveals a formidable Party opposed to the Gov- 
ernment — Opposition Speeches — Parliament summoned to 
the "Painted Chamber" — Another Speech by Cromwell — ■ 
The Government must not be called in Question — A Pledge 
required of each Member — More than a hundred decline the 
Pledge, and return home 194 

CHAPTER XLI. 

Opposition of Parliament persisted in — The various Articles 
of the Instrument of Government canvassed — Religious Tolera- 
tion discountenanced — No Communication with the Protector 

— Parliament summoned again to the "Painted Chamber" — 
Protector's Speech — Parliament dissolved 198 

CHAPTER XLII. 

An Extract from Carlyle — Death of Cromwell's Mother 

— " Good-night ! " 203 

CHAPTER XLin. 

Plots in Favor of Charles II. — Hostility to Cromwell — 
Wildman — Insiirrectionary attempts quelled — Foreign Ee 



-16 ) CONTENTS. 

lations Prosperous — The EnglisTi Fleets — Cromwell interferes 
for the persecuted Waldenses — Government of Major-Generals 

— Eemarks of Carlyle Page 206 

CHAPTER XLIV. 

Another Parliament — A long Address — Enemies of the 
State specified — Eeligious Toleration 209 

CHAPTER XLV. 

Condition of Admission to Parliament — One Hundred ex- 
cluded — Apology for this Movement — Eemarks of D'AuhignS 

— An Order of the Parliament 214 

CHAPTER XLYI. 

Character of the Parliament — Supplies voted — Major- 
Generals suppressed — James Naylor — Carlyle's Sarcasm. 217 

CHAPTER XLVII. 

The Kingship — Proposed to Cromwell — Agitation of the 
Matter in Parliament — Disturbance — " Petition and Advice " 

— Protracted Debate — Army OflScers opposed to the King- 
ship — Cromwell's response to them — The new Instrument 
matured in Parliament. 221 

CHAPTER XLVIII. 

"Petition and Advice" presented to the Protector — He is 
invited to the Kingship by the Parliament — Responds briefly 
--Asks for Time — Gives a further Answer — Not decisive — 



CONTENTS. li 

Parliament visits the Protector in a Body— Doubts and 
Scruples — Committee of Ninety-nine — A long Conversa- 
tion I'age 224 



CHAPTER XLIX. 

Another Conversation touching the Kingship — Eeasoning 
of the Committee — The Protector's Answer — Adjourn- 
ment 2^^ 



CHAPTER L. 

A further Interview between the Committee and Protector — 
Still another Interview on the next Day — Another Meeting ten. 
Days afterward 235 



CHAPTER LI. 

May 8, 1657, the whole Parliament meets the Protector — He 
addresses them in a brief Speech — Decides the great Ques- 
tion, declining the Kingship - 238 



CHAPTER LIL 

Reflections apon Cromwell and his Decision — Extract . . 241 

CHAPTER LIII. 

A new Inauguration — Brilliant Picture of the Scene — Parlia- 
ment prorogued to January 20 245 



18 CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER LIT. 

Administration prosperous in the Interim — England's proud 
Position — Marriages of Lady Franoes Cromwell and Lady 
Mary Cromwell — Protector's Manner of Life Page 248 



CHAPTER LV. ' 

Shadows Approaching — The reorganized Parliament — The 
new House of Peers — Bearing of the Commons toward the 
Peers — Wrangling touching the Title to be given to the 
House of Peers — Both Houses summoned to Whitehall — 
Addressed by the Protector 252 



CHAPTER LYL 

Protector's Appeal of no avail — Mischievous debatiags — 
Infatuation — Cromwell indignant — Prorogues the Parlia- 
ment — Last Public Words 257 



CHAPTER LVIL 

Death of Prances Cromwell's Husband — Lady Clajrpole — 
Her distressing Sickness — The Protector's deep Sympathy 
with his dying Daughter — Her Death — The Father's over- 
whelming Sorrow — Scripture Consolation 261 

CHAPTER LYIIL 

Cromwell himself falls Sick — Case alarming — Great Prayer 
in his Behalf— Some of his last Words — Death — Extract 
from Carlyle 264 



'illnnixMan^. 



PAGE 

Cbomwell Addeessim-q Parliament in Favor of Eeligiotts 
Liberty 2 

Court of Charles I , 39 

Place of the King's Execution, "Whitehall 103 

House of Commons in Cromwell's Time 191 

2 



LIFE 

OF 

OLIVER CEOMWELL. 



CHAPTEE I. 



Birth of Cromwell — Childhood and Youth — Early Associa- 
tions — Huntingdon — Goes to Cambridge — Deatjis — Goes 
to London — Marriage — Occupation. 

Oliver Cromwell was born April 25, 1599. 
He was tlie fifth child of Robert and Elizabeth 
Cromwell ; and, both on his father's and mother's 
side, seems to have been of the rank of the sub- 
stantial gentry of the time.* 

Little is known of the childhood and youth 
of this boy, who was destined to act so promi- 
nent a part in the history of his country, and to 
exert so important an influence upon the inter- 
ests of civil and religious liberty throughout the 
civilized world.f 

* A class of people in England between the nobility and 
the common people. 

•\ Many anecdotes are told of Cromwell's boyhood ; but they, 
for the most part, are deemed unauthentic. 



22 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

He seems to have been an active and resolute 
cliild, and grew up in tlie bosom of an austere 
family, where the intrigues of the Jesuits and 
the popish tendencies of the Anglican Church 
on the one hand, and the rights and power of 
the word of God on the other, were the engross- 
ing subjects of thought and conversation. 

The boy OHver listened to these somber dis- 
cussions, and breathed in this spirit ; and here 
were dropped into his juvenile mind the seeds 
which, in the lapse of half a century, were to 
grow into plants of gigantic dimensions, and 
wondrous strength, fragrance, and beauty. 

Huntingdon, forty or fifty miles northerly of 
London, is pleasantly situated on the banks of 
the Ouse ; and here, in a stately, pleasant house, 
amid shady lawns and expanses, was the birth- 
place of Oliver Cromwell. It has been twice 
rebuilt within these two hundred and seventy 
years ; and is, at present, a solid yellow brick 
house with a walled court-yard, and occupied by 
some townsman of the wealthier sort. A little 
brook glides through the court-yard ; and the 
river, at a short distance, winds its quiet way 
eastward toward the fenlands, overlooked by 
the town. Westward is a variegated and pic- 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 23 

turesque country, bearing marks of careful 
and long-continued cultivation. Here, on the 
edge of the firm green land, and looking over 
into the black marshes with their alder and 
willow trees, did Oliver pass his young years. 

At the age of seventeen he went to Cam- 
bridge University, and was entered at Sydney 
Sussex College. In the following year his 
father and maternal grandfather died, leaving 
his mother at once fatherless and a widow, 
with six daughters and an only son. This 
change of circumstances brought Oliver home 
again from college, to return no more ; but to 
supply, henceforth, as well as he might, his 
■ father's place at Huntingdon. He now pro- 
ceeded to London, and passed a year or two in 
law studies. In 1620, at the age of twenty- 
one, he married Miss Elizabeth Boucher, and 
returned to Huntingdon to assume the care of 
his mother and her family, and to manage the 
paternal estate, which was now his own. And 
here dwelt Oliver during the next ten years of 
his life, living in retirement, occupying himself 
with farming and the various social duties inci- 
dent to his position in life. 



24: LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTER II. 

Forming Tears of Life — Religious Awakening — Distress 
— Conversion — Deep Devotion — Religious Associates — 
Testimonials. 

Of unutterable importance are the ten years 
from twenty to thirty in the life of a man. To 
a very great extent may they be reckoned the 
forming years — the years when the youth takes 
shape for life, perhaps for eternal ages. Full 
often it is the pivotal period ; and as the needle 
to the pole, so the man becomes settled for his 
life-long course and for his immortal career. 

Thus was it with Oliver Cromwell. Early, 
amid these years, he became deeply interested 
in religious things. He came to a pungent 
conviction, such as he never felt before, that 
he was a sinner against God. "Ere long," 
writes one of his biographers, " he felt in his 
heart the prickings of Grod's law. It disclosed 
to him his inward sin. With St. Paul, he 
was disposed to cry. out, ' O v^^retched man that 
I am ; who shall deliver me from the body 
of this death ? ' And like Luther, pacing the 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. , 25 

galleries of bis convent at Erfurtli, exclaiming, 
' My sin ! mj sin ! my sin ! ' Oliver, agitated 
and heart-wrung, uttering groans and cries as 
of a wounded spirit, Wandered, pale and de- 
jected, along the gloomy banks of the Ouse. 
He looked for consolation to God, to his Bible, 
and to friends more enlightened than him- 
self. His health, and even his strong frame, 
were shaken ; and, in his melancholy, he 
would often send at midnight for Dr. Simcott, 
physician in Huntingdon, supposing himself to 
be dying. At length peace entered into his 
soul." • 

"It is, therefore, in these years," says Mr. 
Carlyle, " that we must place what Oliver, 
with unspeakable joy, would name his conver- 
sion — his deliverance from the iaws of eternal 
death. Certainly a grand epoch for a man ; 
properly the one epoch. He was henceforth a 
Christian man ; not on Sundays only, but on 
all days, in all places, and in all cases." * 

The seqnel will amply illustrate the truth of 
this last statement. Few men, in all history, 
seem to have been more completely under the 
influence of religion than was Cromwell from 

* D'Aubigue's ViucUcation, p. 31. 



26 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

the period of his conversion to the day of his 
death. A constant attendant upon the Puri- 
tan ministry,^' he embraced all the strictness 
and fervor of spiritual Christianity, and was a 
companion of all, of every class, who zealously 
feared and served the Lord. Such historic 
names as Hampden, Pym, Lord Brook, Lord 
Say, and Lord Montague, were his intimate 
friends; and the great Milton — who was his 
contemporary, and knew him well — writes of 
him that " He had grown up in peace and 
privacy at home, silently cherishing in his heart 
a confidence in God, and a magnanimity well 
adapted for the solemn times that were ap- 
proaching. Although of ripe years, he had 
not yet stepped forward into public life; and 
nothing so much distinguished him from all 
around as the cultivation of a pure religion 
and the integrity of his life." f 

Says another author : " Oliver was, hence- 
forth, a Christian in earnest. ... A new 
birth had given him a new life. He was at 

* The Puritan Christians were so called in derision, on 
account of their professing to follow the pure word of God, 
in opposition to all traditions and superstitions. The sect 
arose in England in the reign of Elizabeth. 

\ Defensio Secunda. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 27 

peace witli God ; lie possessed the spirit of 
adoption, and an easy access to the throne of 
grace. From that time he became a man of 
prayer, and so he remained for the rest of 
his life." "In regard to the kingdom of 
heaven, he had learned that it is the violent 
who take it by force; and with the whole 
energy of his soul, regenerated by the Holy 
Ghost, he had seized upon it. Oliver was now 
a real Christian ; he remained one to his latest 
breath ; and, if we except a few moments of 
trouble, to which the most godly men are 
subject, he persevered in faith and confidence 
till his course of mortality was completed." * 



CHAPTEE III. 

Cromwell in Parliament — Maiden Speech — Result — " What 
are we to expect?" — His Course Foreshadowed — Per- 
sonal Appearance. ; 

In 1628 was the third parliament summoned 
by Charles I. ; and Oliver Cromwell, at the age 
of twenty-nine, was a member of the House of 

* D' Aubigne. 



28 LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 

Commons for Huntingdon. It was a notable 
parliament, and strongly distingnished by the 
increasing friction between the Commons and 
tbe king, and tlie^ struggle for ascendency be- 
tween Protestantism and Popery. 

At the second session of this parliament, in 
the following year, Cromwell gave his maiden 
speech. It is to be regretted that a small frag- 
ment only of this speech found its way into 
history. But the record of this fragment is 
preserved in the British Museum, and is a 
" world famous utterance." He said he had 
heard, by relation of one Dr. Beard, (who had 
been Oliver's old schoolmaster at Huntingdon,) 
" that Dr. Alabaster had preached flat Popery 
at Paul's Cross; and that the Bishop of Win- 
chester had commanded him, as his diocesan, 
that he should preach nothing to the contrary. 
Mainwaring, so justly censured in this House 
for his sermons, was, by the same bishop's 
means, preferred to a rich living." '' If these 
are the steps to Church preferment," he added 
with emphasis, " what are we to expect ? " 
"What else was included in this first speech of 
Cromwell is now unknown. But the speech 
was effectual; for it was immediately ordered 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 29 

that " Dr. Beard, of Huntingdon, be written to 
by Mr. Speaker to come np and testify against 
the bishop, the order to be delivered to Mr. 
Cromwell." 

" What are we to expect ? " asked Cromwell. 
Whether he proceeded to reply to this tremen- 
dous question of his the record saith not. 
But of the great thoughts and solemn misgiv- 
ings that were then agitating his mind who can 
fail to guess. " What are we to expect ? " 
asked Oliver ; and this was, in truth^ the great 
question of the age. " The re-establishment of 
Popery was the object of the seventeenth 
century, and Cromwell's first public words 
were against it. He then set up the landmark 
which determined and marked out the course 
he had resolved to follow until his death. 
Even Hume, generally so hostile to him, is 
struck by seeing his first words correspond so 
exactly to his character." * 

Cromwell was, at this time, thirty years of 
age ; and as he rose to speak, for the first time, 
all eyes were turned upon him, and the House 
listened with great attention. His eloquence 
"was warm and animated; his frame, although 

^ D'Aubiarne. 



30 LIFE OF OLIVEE CROMWELL. 

exceeding the middle height, strong and well 
proportioned. He had a manly air, a bright 
and sparkling eje, and stern look." * 



CHAPTEE TV. 

The Eleven Years' Interim — Public Distress — Cromwell's 
Removal — Pursuits — Interior Life — ; Moses in Midian. 

This speech of Cromwell occurred February 2, 
1629 ; and about three weeks afterward the 
parliament was prorogued by the king, and no 
other parliament was summoned by him for 
eleven years. During this long interval, the 
king with his council attempted to rule the 
country without any representation from the 
people. Much oppression and disorder were | 
the consequence ; and under the influence of 
Charles, his popish queen, and the infamous 
Archbishop Laud, Puritanism, Presbyterian- 
ism, and Protestantism generally were dis- 
countenanced and discouraged. J^umbers of 
good men were subjected to mean persecutions 
and detestable pnnishments for what in their 
character and conduct was commendable rather 

* Memoirs of Warwick. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 31 

than criminal, and the endeavor seemed to be 
the re-establishment of popery in the kingdom. 
Cromwell, amid these unhappy years, was 
in the peaceful pursn.it of his farming interests. 
Having sold his properties, in part, at Hunting- 
don, he had, with a view of more enlarged op- 
erations, removed to St. Ives, 'Sive miles down 
the river from Huntingdon, where he rented 
extensive grazing lands, and made his residence 
with his rising family during several years. 
"A studious imagination may sufficiently con- 
struct the figure of his equable life in those 
years. Diligent grass-farming; mowing, milk- 
ing, cattle marketing ; add ' hyp'ochondria,' fits 
of the blackness of darkness, with glances of 
the brightness of very heaven ; prayer, religious 
reading, and meditation ; household epochs, joys 
and cares — we have a solid, substantial, inof- 
fensive farmer of St. Ives, hoping to walk with 
integrity, and humble, devout diligence through 
this world ; and, by his Maker's infinite mercy, 
to escape destruction, and find eternal salvation 
in wider divine worlds. This latter — this is the 
grand clause in his life which dwarfs all other 
clauses. Much wider destinies than he antici- 
pated were appointed him on earth ; but that, 



32 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

in comparison to the alternative of heaven or 
hell, was a mighty small matter." ^ 

Probably something not very nnlike the above 
picture, by Mr. Carlyle, was the exterior and 
interior life of Cromwell during his five years 
residence at St. Ives. Along these and several 
subsequent years he seems to us like Moses in 
Midian, hid away from public view, and utterly 
unconscious of the great and arduous career for 
whicli Providence was- preparing him. There 
is full evidence that he was a deeply devoted 
Christian, and actuated by a quenchless zeal for 
the promotion of pure religion. Meanwhile, it 
is not to be dbubted that the persecutions and 
sufferings heaped upon many good men amid 
these few years, filled Cromwell's heart with 
intensest emotions, ""and were helping, in no 
slight degree, to educate him for the prodigious 
struggle he was destined to wage against the 
tyranny and intolerance of the reigning sov- 
ereign and his creatures. 

* Carlyle, i, 66. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 33 



CHAPTEK Y. 

A Letter — Humility — Eeligious Experience — Faith — 
Gratitude — A Critic — The Critic rebuked. 

Theee is one other notice of Cromwell amid 
these ten or eleven years of hS retirement and 
obscurity. It consists of the following letter 
of his, written at Ely, which was now his resi- 
dence, dated October 13, 1638, and addressed 
to a consin, Mrs. St. John. 

•'Deae Cousin: I thankfully acknowledge 
your love in your kind remembrance of me 
upon this opportunity. Alas ! you do too 
highly prize my lines and my company. I 
may be ashamed to own your expressions, con- 
sidering how^ unprofitable I am, and the mean 
improvement of my talent ; yet to honor my 
God by declaring what he hath done for my 
soul, in this I am confident, and I will be so. 
Truly, then, this I find, that he giveth spriags 
in a dry, barren wilderness where no water is. 
I live, you know where, in Meshec, which, 
they say, signiSLeB prolonging ; in Kedar, which 
signifies Uackness : yet the Lord forsaketh me 



34 i:iFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

not ; tbougli he do prolong, yet lie will, I trust, 
bring rrfb to his tabernacle, to his resting-place. 
My soul is with the congregation of the first- 
born, my body rests in hope ; and if here I may 
honor my God, either by doing or suffering, I 
shall be most glad. 

" Truly no poor creature hath more cause to 
put himself forth in the cause of his God than 
I. I have had plentiful wages beforehand, and 
I. am sure I shall never earn the least mite. 
The Lord accept me in his Son, and give me 
to walk in the light, as he is in the light. He 
it is that enlighteneth our blackness, our dark- 
ness. I dare not say. He hideth his face from 
me. He giveth me to see light in his light. 
One beam in a dark place hath exceeding 
much refreshment in it. Blessed be his name 
for shining upon so dark a heart as mine ! 
You know what my manner of life hath been. 
O, I lived in and loved darkness, and hated 
light ; I was a chief, the chief of sinners. This 
is true. I hated godliness, yet God had mercy 
on me. O the riches of his mercy ! Praise 
him for me ; pray for me, that he who hath 
begun a good work would perfect it in the day 
of Christ. 



1 

LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 35 

" Salute all my friends in that family where- 
of yon are yet a member. I am much bonnd 
nnto them for their love. I bless the Lord for 
them ; and that my son, by their procnrement, 
is so well. Let him have your prayers, your 
counsel ; let me have them. Salute your hus- 
band and sister from me. He is not a man 
of his word ! He promised to write about Mr. 
"Wrath, of Epping ; but, as yet, I receive no 
letters. Put him in mind to do what with con- 
veniency may be done for the poor cousin I did 
solicit him about. 

"Once more farewell. The Lord be with 
you ; so prayeth your truly loving cousin, 

"Oliver Cromwell." 

Mark E'oble, one of Cromwell's biographers, 
thinks he discovers in this letter the evidence 
that its author was once a very dissolute man. 
The scathing which this sapient critic receives 
from Carlyle's pen is as just as it is terrible : 
"O my reverend, imbecile friend, hadst thou 
thyself never any moral life, but only a sensi- 
tive and digestive? Thy soul never longed 
toward the serene heights, all hidden from 
thee; and thirsted as the hart in dry places 



36 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

wherein no waters be ! It was never a sorrow 
for thee tliat the eternal pole-star had gone out, 
vailed itself in dark clouds ; a sorrow only that 
this or the other noble patron forgot thee when 
a living fell vacant ! I have known Christians, 
Moslems, Methodists,'^ and, alas ! also reverend 
irreverent apes by the Dead Sea." The same 
writer adds : " O modern reader, dark as this 
letter may seem, I will advise thee to make an 
attempt toward understanding it. There is in 
. it a tradition of humanity worth all the rest ; 
indisputable certificate that man once had a 
soul ; that man once walked with God, his little 
life a sacred island girdled with eternities and 
godhoods. Was it not a time for heroes ? Heroes 
were then possible. . . . Yes, there is a tone 
in the soul of this Oliver that holds of the 
perennial. With a noble sorrow, with a noble 
patience, he longs toward the mark of the prize 
of the high calling. He, I thiuk, has chosen 
the better part. The world and its wild tu- 
mults — if they will but let him alone ! Yet he, 
too, will venture, will do and suffer for God's 
cause if the call come. What man with better 
reason ? He hath had plentiful wages before- 
* A Classification quite Oarlylean! 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 37 

hand ; snatched out of darkness into marvelous 
light, he will never earn the least mite. . . . 
Brother, hadst thou never, in any form, snch 
moments in thy history ? Thoii knowest them 
not, even by credible rumor ? Well, thy earth- 
ly path was peaceabler, I suppose. But the 
highest was never in thee, the highest will 
never come out of thee. Thou shalt at best 
abide by the stuff; as cherished house-dog 
guard the stuff — perhaps with enormous gold 
collars and provender ; but the battle, and the 
hero-death, and victory's fire chariot carrying 
men to the immortals shall never be thine. I 
pity thee ; brag not, or I shall have to despise 
thee." ^ 



CHAPTER YI. 

King Charles — Assembles a Parliament — Cromwell a Mem- 
ber for Cambridge — Parliament dismissed — " Long Par- 
liament " — Cromwell again a Member — His Appearance 
and Dress — Petition and Remonstrance — Great Debate — 
Cromwell's Declaration. 

It is now 1640, and the long parliamentary 
interregnum of eleven years is about to close. 
King Charles is bent upon carrying war 

*Carlyle, i, 98-100. 



33 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL, 

into Presbyterian Scotland, for the purpose of 
enforcing episcopacy upon that people. With 
this great folly commenced the troubles and 
commotions that ended only with the king's 
losing his head. 

Failing to secure supplies for an army, Charles 
was obliged, with great reluctance, to summon 
a parliament, which assembled April 13th. But 
being not sufficiently prompt to furnish to the 
king the sinews of war, he " dismissed it in a 
huff," after a session of three weeks only, and 
decided upon other means and methods of rais- 
ing money and an army. 

Cromwell was a member of this short parlia- 
ment for Cambridge, as also of the next parlia- 
ment, which the king was obliged to assemble 
in the same year. 

This famous body, called the Long Parliament, 
met on the 3d of l^Tovember, 1640 ; and Crom- 
well was in his seat in the House of Commons, 
" the member for Cambridge, a man of known 
zeal, good connection, and growing weight," 
and forty-one years of age. 

If one would gain some impression of the 
personal appearance of Cromwell at this time 
let him note the following, sketch, written by 




Court of Charles I. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 41 

Sir Philip "Warwick, a fellow-member, but of a 
very different genius from that of Oliver. " The 
first time I ever took notice of Mr. Cromwell," 
says Warwick, "was in the very beginnino- 
of the parliament held in ITovember, 1640, 
when I, a member for Eadnor, vainly thought 
myself a courtly young gentleman, for we 
courtiers valued ourselves much upon our g:ood 
clothes. I came into the House one mornins" 
Monday morning, well, clad, and perceived a 
gentleman speaking whom I knew not, very 
ordinarily appareled, for it was a plain cloth 
suit, which seemed to have been made by an ill 
country tailor; his linen was plain, and not 
very clean ; and I remember a speck or two of 
blood upon his little band, which was not much 
larger than his collar. His hat was without a 
hat-band. His stature was of a good size, his 
sword stuck close to his side, his countenance 
swollen and reddish, his voice sharp and un- 
tunable, and his eloquence full of fervor,' for the 
subject-matter would not bear much of reason, 
it being on behalf of a servant of Mr. Prynne's 
who had dispersed libels— yes, libels, and had 
come to palace-yard for it, as we saw. I sin- 
cerely profess it lessened much my reverence 



42 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

unto that great council, for tliis gentleman was 
very mncli hearkened nnto." 

Mr. Carlyle comments thus npon the above 
sketch : " The ' band,' we may remind onr 
readers, is a linen tippet, properly the shirt- 
collar of those days ; which, when the hair was 
worn long, needed to fold itself with a good 
expanse of washable linen over the upper works 
of the coat, and defend these and their velvets 
from harm. The ' specks of blood,' if not fabu- 
lons, we, not without general sympathy, at- 
tribute to bad razors ; as for the hat-band, one 
remarks that men did not speak with their hats 
on, and therefore will, with Sir Philip's leave, 
omit that. The 'untunable voice,' or what a 
poor young gentleman in such circumstances 
would consider as such, is very significant to 
us."* 

Some months after this, occurred the great 
Irish rebellion and massacre ; and that country, 
under popish influence, was ravaged with fear- 
ful bloodshed and desolation. This was fol- 
lowed, in the House of Commons, with the 
famous "Petition and Remonstrance" to the 
king, setting forth the griefs, necessities, and 

* Carlyle, i, 108, 109. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 43 

requirements of the people. It was drawn up 
in precise business order, comprising two 
hundred and six articles, " every line of which 
thrilled electrically into all men's hearts." 
The debate upon this instrument commenced 
J^ovember 22, and was the longest and stormi- 
est that had ever been known in parliament ; 
and Warwick asserts " that had it not been for 
Mr. Hampden's soft management we had like 
to have sheathed our swords in each other's 
bowels." J^e E-emonstrance passed by the 
small majority of eleven; and as they came 
out, at two o'clock in the morning, Cromwell, 
as he was descending the stairs, is reported to 
have exclaimed, "I would have sold all and 
gone to New England had the Remonstrance 
not passed." The stream of history would 
have assumed a different channel had that 
intention become reality. 



44: LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 



CHAPTEE YII. 

Dark Portents — Folly of the King — Demands upon Parlia- 
ment — Unsuccessful — Glreat Excitement — King leaves 
London — Preparations for "War — Cromwell awake — 
Himself and Sons enter the Army — Sad Partings — 
Magnitude of the Cause. 

The commencement of 1642 was an era in 
British history. The king and the parliament 
became pitted against each other; and clouds 
were gathering thickly and rapidly, and the 
storm would soon burst upon the country. 
"Every day those men who felt the truest 
affection for their country were* disturbed in 
their homes at London, or in their more tran- 
quil rural retreats, by reports of the massacre 
of the Protestants in Ireland, of the king's con- 
nivance at it, of his insincerity and falsehood, 
of his projects, of the punishments already in- 
flicted upon many of their brethren, of the ac- 
knowledged popery of the queen, of the semi- 
Romanism of the king, of the persecutions in 
Scotland, the daily banishments of the best 
Christians in the kingdom, and by other signs 
and events no less alarming;." '"* 

*D'Aubigne's Vindication. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 45 

Charles commenced the actual contest. On 
the 3d of January (1642) he called upon the 
House of Commons to surrender to him, to be 
tried for treason, five of its principal and most 
influential members; namely, Pym, Hampden, 
Hazlerig, Holies, and Strode. This singular 
requisition not being immediately complied 
with, on the morrow the king " rides down to 
St. Stephens himself, with an armed, very mis- 
cellaneous force of five hundred or of three hund- 
red truculent, braggadocio persons at his back ; 
enters the House of Commons — the truculent 
persons looking in after him from the lobby — 
with intent to seize the said five members, iive 
principal hot coals, and trample them out for 
one thing. It was the fatalest step this poor 
king ever took. The ^ve members, timefuUy 
warned, were gone into the city ; the whole 
parliament removed itself into the city, ' to be 
safe from armed violence.' From London city, 
and from all England, rose one loud voice of 
lamentation and condemnation ;" * that is, con- 
demnation of the king. 

The signal for war was thus raised, and 
Charles immediately left London, never to 

*Carlyle, i, 120, 121. 



46 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

return except as a helpless prisoner. The 
revolution was commenced. Both parties, the 
king and the parliament, at once proceed to rally 
their forces. Extraordinary exertions are put 
forth on both sides to provide the means and 
sinews of war: the king, by subscriptions of 
royal plate, pawning of crown jewels, and every 
other possible way ; the parliament, by similar 
means, by individual subscriptions of money 
and otherwise. 

Cromwell is on the alert in this great crisis. 
He subscribes £500 ($2,500) for the service of 
the Commonwealth. JSTor was this all, nor the 
chief. He gave himself for the great contest ; 
and two sons also, of the ages of twenty and six- 
teen, followed their father to the field of conflict. 
" The departure of his sons, Oliver and Kichard, 
must have caused great sorrow in the peaceful 
abode of the Huntingdon farmer. With diffi- 
culty could these young men tear themselves 
from 'the embraces of their mother and of their 
sisters. But the hour was come when their 
country called for the greatest sacrifices. All 
must now be prepared either to stretch their 
necks to the sword or to l^ow them beneath the 
yoke of the pope. Cromwell's domestic society 



LirE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 47 

was a pleasing one; lie had a wife whom he 
loved most tenderly; his good mother was 
still living ; he had passed the age of ambition, 
yet he became a soldier, ' You have had my 
money ; I hope in God, I desire to venture my 
skin,' ' So do mine,' said he, with noble sim- 
plicity, on another occasion. 

'' For the space of fifteen years, from this day 
until that of his death, all his thoughts, how- 
ever well or ill conceived, were for Protestant- 
ism, and for the liberty of his fellow-citizens, 

" It is from this moral point of view that we 
must study Cromwell ; this was his ruling prin- 
ciple, and this alone explains his whole life. 

"Can we look upon the departure of the 
Huntingdon volunteers as an insignificant 
event ? 

" There was a great work to be accomplished, 
no less than the settlement of England upon its 
double foundations of Protestantism and Lib- 
erty, for on these depended her future destinies. 
"Where was the man to be found great enough 
for so important a task ? " * 

*D'AuMgne, pp. 44, 45. 



48 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTER YIII. 

Lord Digby — "That Sloven" — Hampden's remarkable 
Reply — The Providential Man — Confused Views of him 
— The True View Important. 

The momentous question at tlie close of the 
last cliapter had its solution in Oliver Crom- 
well. " One day a member rose and addressed 
the House in an abrupt but warm tone. His 
appearance was anything but courtly, and his 
dress did not add to his importance. Lord 
Digby leaned forward, and with astonishment 
inquired the name of the speaker. Hampden, 
who was a man of excellent abilities, and whom, 
said Baxter, ' friends and enemies acknowledged 
to be the most eminent for prudence,' answered 
with a smile : ' That sloven whom you see be- 
fore you, who hath no^ ornament in his speech ; 
that sloven, I say, if we should ever come to a 
breach with the king, (v^hich God forbid!) in 
such a case, I say, that sloven will be the 
greatest man in England.' 

"The sloven was Oliver Cromwell. To 
those who, like hi« Cousin Hampden, had en- 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 49 

joyed the intimacy of liis private life, he had 
already revealed the strength of his will and 
the greatness of his genius, and he was then 
beginning to manifest both to the nation in his 
parliamentary life. Ere long, in his military 
and political career, he was to make himself 
known to the world as the greatest man of his 
age ; but, at the same time, as a godly Chris- 
tian." * 

Without question, we think, this was the 
providential man — the one man for the time — 
the man who with a transcendent genius, an 
iron will, a God-fearing spirit, and a mighty 
arm, was to come forth to crush civil and 
religions tyranny, and assert the great princi- 
ples of Protestant liberty for the welfare of 
mankind. 

And it impresses the writer as being im- 
portant that the youth of this generation, and 
especially American youth, should secure the 
true standpoint for viewing the character and 
the exact drift of this wonderful man. Surely 
for such a view the ingenuous and thonghtful 
mind must draw off from the calumnies, fogs, 
and confusion which for several generations 

* D' Aubiffne. 



50 LIFE OF OLIVEE CKOMWELL. 

have been permitted to blur and deface tlie 
memory of Cromwell. 

The spectator must peer solemnly into tbat 
great and God-fearing heart, must follow care- 
fully and constantly the direction of that keen 
and far-reaching eye, and note most religiously 
whither tend those heavy and sublime stoppings. 
To such a vision and such a candor the veritable 
genius and character of this man will stand forth 
clearly revealed ; and, though having some spots, 
yet resplendent with beauty and grandeur. 



CHAPTEE IX. 

Royal Standard erected at Nottingham — King calls to Arms — 
Parliamentary Army — Cromwell's Proposal — He hastens 
to Cambridge — Great Military Preparations — Cromwell's 
Military Position and Character — Battle of Edgehill — 
Cromwell's Plan — Results. 

Ok the 22d of August, 1642, Charles I. erected 
at Isottingham his standard, and summoned 
his subjects to arms ; that is, summoned a part 
of his subjects to arms against the other part. 
At a short distance from the same place the 
earl of Essex was organizing the parliamentary 
army. 



LIFE OF OLIVEK CEOMWELL. 51 

About a month previous to the above date, 
(July 15,) Cromwell^ in his place in the House 
of Commons, moved to allow the townsmen of 
Cambridge to raise two companies of volunteers, 
and to appoint captains over them. Presently 
Cromwell is in Cambridge in person, assuming 
the chief management of the volunteers, seizing 
the magazine in the castle at Cambridge, and 
preventing the withdrawal of the plate from 
the University. " The like," says Carlyle, " was 
going on in all the shires of England ; wherever 
the parliament had a zealous member, it sent 
him down to his shire in these critical months, 
to take what management he could or durst. 
The most confused months England ever saw. 
In every shire, in every parish — in court-houses, 
ale-houses, churches^ markets— wheresoever men 
were gathered together, England, with sorrow- 
ful confusion in every fiber, is tearing itself into 
hostile halves, to carry on the voting by pike 
and bullet henceforth." ^" 

Thus begins the military career of Oliver 

CromwelL He was an active and influential 

member of parliament ; but as the storm arose 

his ^spirit was stirred within him, and he could 

* Carlyle, i. 



6'2 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

not rest away from the scene of conflict. So 
was it with his illustrions cousin, John Hamp- 
den, who entered the service as a colonel — • 
Cromwell as captain. Yet, from the outset, 
Oliver was not merely a captain. He was at 
the ripe age of forty-three, the precise age of 
Washington when he assumed the command of 
the American army. His views were broad, 
his patriotism excelled by none, and his vigilant 
eye was everywhere ; and his mind grasped the 
"situation," and comprehended fully and at a 
glance the immense interests at stake. And 
then his brave heart feared no enemy, whether 
high or low, whether of himself or of his 
country. 

It was not possible, of course, that such a 
man could long remain in a mere captaincy. 
Like our own distinguished chief general, he 
soon cut his way upward by successive and 
successful steps, till he surpassed all others in 
military achievement, and stood forth the one 
great and peerless commander. 

The first great battle of this civil war was 
fought at Edgehill, October 23, 1642. It was 
a severe fight, and the result seems to have 
been doubtful, both the royalists and the par- 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 63 

liamentarians claiming tlie victory. Cromwell 
at once, as lie thought, detected the cause of 
weakness in the parliamentary army, and pro- 
ceeded to remedy it. Addressing Col. Hamp- 
den, he said, '^ How can we be otherwise than 
beaten? Your troops are, most of them, old, 
decayed serving-men and tapsters, and such 
kind of fellows ; and theirs are gentlemen's 
sons, younger sons, and persons of quality. 
But I will remedy that. I will raise men who 
will have the fear of God before their eyes, and 
who will bring some (conscience to what they 
do ; and I promise you they shall not be 
beaten." Hampden replied that it was a good 
notion if it could be executed. Cromwell at 
once set himself about the execution of his 
plan. " With this design he went through the 
eastern counties, calling upon the young free- 
holders, with whose piety he was acquainted, 
to take up arms in the cause of God, ■ Fourteen 
squadrons of zealous Protestants were soon 
raised. It was this new element that decided 
the destinies of the war a^pd of England. From 
that hour the course of events was changed." '^ 
Amid this army of zealous Protestants and 

* D'Aubigne. 
4 



54 LIFE OF OLIVEK CKOMWELL. 

Christians the reli2:ioiis character of Cromwell 
soon begins to manifest itself. 

Says Clai^ndon, a royalist and an enemy: 
" His (Cromwell's) strict and unsociable humor 
would not allow him to keep company with the 
other officers and their jollities and excesses, 
which often made him ridiculous and contempt- 
ible." And this same historian afterward in- 
forms us that Qromwell, instead of frequenting 
the dissolute meetings alluded to, passed his 
leisure hours in singing psalms with the officers 
and soldiers who participated in his religious 
convictions, and in attending with them on the 
preaching of the word. D'Aubigne, alluding 
to these notices of Cromwell by Clarendon, 
spiritedly remarks, that "if Oliver had been a 
gambler and a drunkard, if he had practiced 
the perfidious art of seducing innocence, if he 
had taken part in jollities and excesses, it would 
have been all very well ; he would have been a 
good cavalier. These are the men whom the 
world loves, and for whom historians and ro- 
mance writers keep q|l their favor. But he 
loved the assemblings of the saints, according to 
St. Paul's command. In his hours of repose 
he delighted to follow the precept of this apostle: 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 65 

• Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but 
be filled with the Spirit ; speaking to yourselves 
in psalms and. hymns and spiritual songs, sing- 
ing and making melody in your heart to the 
Lord.' Eph. v, 18, 19. From that hour he 
was held a contemj^tible man; and, for two 
hundred years, all this servile, imitating race 
of historians have continued to repeat this ab- 
surdity, not to say impiety. ' Contem^tihle I ' 
says Clarendon. It may well be so ; but Crom- 
well is not the only man who has been under- 
valued for avoiding bad company, and for not 
having trod in the way of sinners. David, St. 
Paul, and all Christian men have been con- 
temned like him, and for the same reasons. 
But it is written in the revelations of God : 
'Woe unto them that call evil good and good 
evil.' Isaiah v, 20. We do not think that 
these false judgments, thus stigmatized by the 
divine word, have ever been practiced on a 
larger scale than in the case of Cromwell." * 

* D'Autime's Yindication. 



56 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTER X. 

Hampden killed in Battle — His excellent Character — Battle 
of Marstou Moor — Great Slaughter — King Defeated — 
" Ironsides " — Letter of Cromwell. 

Cromwell is now (1643) a colonel, and exert- 
ing himself to the utmost. There are various 
skirmishes here and there, and the cause of the 
parliament appears rather dubious along these 
months. 

On the 18th of June, in a cavalry skirmish 
near Oxford, the excellent Hampden received a 
mortal wound, and died a few days afterward. 
In all that was true, respectable, judicious, 
dignified, noble, and brave, he was excelled by 
none of the parliamentary chiefs, and his fall 
was deeply and sorely lamented. To his kins- 
man, Cromwell, whose son Oliver .had fallen 
some time before, this new calamity must have 
been mournful in the extreme. 

In January of the next year (1644) a Scotch 
army entered England to co-'bperate with the 
army of the parliament. The combined forces 
at once commenced the siege of York, defended 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 57 

hj the Marquis of Newcastle, and on the 2d 
of July following occurred the great battle of 
Marston Moor. This battle seems to have been 
the bloodiest of the whole war. " The most 
enormous hurlj burly of firearms, smoke, and 
steel flashings, and death 1:umult ever seen in 
those regions; the end of which, about ten 
o'clock at night, was four thousand one hundred 
and fifty bodies to be buried, and total ruin to 
the king's affairs in these northern parts." '-^ 
Cromwell's cavalry performed prodigies of 
valor in this terrible fight ; and the epithet 
Ironsides was conferred upon them on the 
battle-field. The king's army "lost more than 
a hundred flags, which it was proposed to send 
to the parliament ; but they were torn in pieces 
by the conquerors, and bound as trophies round 
their arms." f 

To his brother-in-law, Col. Walton, Crom- 
well addresses the following letter just after 
the fight : 

" Dear Sir : It's our duty to sympathize in 
all mercies, and to praise the Lord together in 
chastisements or trials, that so we may sorrow 
together. 

* Carlyle. | D'Aubigne. 



58 LIFE OF OLIVEK CEOMWELL. 

" Truly England and the Chnrcli of God 
hath had a great favor from the Lord in this 
great victory given unto us, such as the like 
never was since this war began. It had all the 
evidences of an absolute victory obtained by the 
Lord's blessing upon the godly party principally. 
We never charged but "^e routed the enemy. 
The left wing, which I commanded, being our 
Own horse, saving a few Scots in our rear, beat 
all the prince's horse. 

" God made them as stubble to our swords. 
We charged their regiments of foot with our 
horse, and routed all we charged. The particu- 
lars I cannot relate now; but, I believe, of 
twenty thousand the prince hath not four 
thousand left. Give glory, all the glory, to 
God. 

" Sir, God hath taken away your eldest son 
by a cannon shot. It broke his leg. We were 
necessitated to have it cut off, whereof he died. 

" Sir, you know my own trials this way ; but 
the Lord supported me in this, that the Lord 
took him into the happiness we all pant for and 
live for. There is your precious child full of 
glory, never to know sin or sorrow any more. 
He was a gallant young man, exceedingly 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 59 

gracious. God give you his comfort. Before 
his death lie was so full of comfort that to Frauk 
Eussel and myself he could not express it, ^It 
was so great above his paiu.' This he said to 
us. Indeed it was admirable. A little after, 
he said one thing lay upon his spirit. I asked 
him what that was. He told me it was that 
God had not suffered him to be any more the 
executioner of his enemies. At his fall his 
horse was killed with the bullet, and, as I am 
informed, three horses more. I am told he bid 
them open to right and left that he mi^ht see 
the rogues run. Truly he was exceedingly be- 
loved in the army of all that knew him. But 
few knew him ; for he was a precious young man 
fit for God. You have cause to bless the Lord. 

"He is a glorious saint in heaven, wherein 
you ought exceedingly to rejoice. Let this 
drink up your sorrow, seeing these are not 
feigned words to comfort you, but the thing is 
so real and undoubted a truth. 

" You may do all things by the strength of 
Christ. Seek that, and you shall easily bear 
your trial. Let this public mercy to the Church 
of God make you to forget your private sorrow. 
The Lord be your strength." 



60 LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 



CHAPTEE XI. 

Cromwell as a Commander — Chateaubriand's and Milton's 
Testimony — Cromwell's Impatience with Dilatory Officers 
and Movements — His Protest in Parliament — Speech in 
Committee of the Whole — Urges the most Vigorous 
Efforts. 

It was now evident that Oliver Cromwell was 
destined to be tjie great leader in this war. 
Thougli as yet holding no position higher that 
that of colonel, he gave evidence of the highest 
military abilities. '^' There was no officer in the 
army who braved danger witK' greater intrepid- 
ity. In the very heat of the action he preserved 
admirable presence of mind. He led his sol- 
diers np to within a few paces of the enemy, 
and never allowed them to fire nntil their shots 
were sure to take effect. J At the same time he 
maintained the strictest discipline in the army. 
The troops nnder his command thonght them- 
selves sure of victory , and, in fact, he never 
lost a battle." * 

"His actions," said Chateaubriand, "had 
all the rapidity and effect of lightning. . . . 

P'Aubis:ne, 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 61 

There was a certain invincibility in his genius, 
like the new ideas of which he was the cham- 
pion." 

Says Milton, " From his thorough exercise in 
the art of self-knowledge, he had either ex- 
terminated or subjugated his domestic foes, 
his idle hopes, his fears, and his desires. Ilav- 
iug thus learned to engage, and subdue, and 
triumph over himself, he took the field against 
his outward enemies — a soldier practiced in all 
the discipline of war." "^ 

•iVith such a character and genius, joined 
with a zeal profoundly earnest and sincere for 
the cause of the parliament, and what he con- 
sidered to be the cause of true liberty and 
prosperity of his country, it is not at all 
wonderful that Cromwell waxes impatient at 
the dilatory movements and want of success 
on the part of some of his superior officers.j, 
The earl of Essex, the generalissimo of the 
parliament forces, was meeting with reverses 
in the west, while Cromwell and his fellow- 
soldiers were so successful in the north. In 
fact, the history of this period brings strikingly 
to mind a trying crisis in the late war of the 

* Chateaubriand. 



62 LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 

rebellion, and certain liigli officers tliat were 
prominent in tliose somber days. 

Cromwell, for example, has left temporarily 
his regiment of Ironsides a short time after the 
great battle of Marston Moor, and is again in 
the Honse of Commons ; for he is still a legis- 
lator as well as a soldier. He rises in his place, 
]^ovember 25, and presents a charge against 
one of his superior officers, the earl of Man- 
chester, as follows : '' That the said earl hath 
always been indisposed and backward to en- 
gagements, and the ending of the war by the 
sw^ord ; and ' always ' for such, a peace as a 
thorough victory would be a disadvantage to; 
and hath declared this by principles express to 
that purpose, and by a continued series of car- 
riao-e and actions answerable; that since the 
taking of York, as if the parliament had now" 
advantage fully enough, he hath declined what- 
soever tended to further advantage upon the 
enemy, hath neglected and studiously shifted 
off opportunities to that purpose, as if he 
thought the king too low and the parliament 
too high — especially at Dennington Castle ; that 
he hath drawn the army into, and detained 
them in such a posture as to give the enemy 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 63 

fresh advantages ; and this before his con- 
junction with the other armies, by his own ab- 
solute will, against or without his council of 
war, against many commands of the Committee 
of Both Kingdoms, and with contempt and vili- 
fying of those commands; and since the con- 
junction, sometimes against the councils of 
war, and sometimes by persuading and deluding 
the . council to neglect one opportunity with 
pretense of another, and this again of a third, 
and at last by persuading them that it was not 
fit to fight at all." ^ 

A few days afterward the Commons, sitting 
in committee of the whole, and deliberating upon 
the delicate matter of superseding one or two of 
the principal army officers, after long silence, 
" one looking upon the other to see who would 
break the ice," Cromwell rose up and spake to 
this effect : 

" It is now a' time to speak or forever hold the 
tongue. The iiriportant occasion now is no less 
than to save a nation out of a bleeding, nay, 
almost dying condition, which the long con- 
tinuance of this war hath already brought it 
into ; so that without a more speedy, vigorous, 

* Rushworth, qnoted by Carlyle. 



64 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

and effectual prosecution of tlie war — casting 
off all lingering proceedings like those of sol- 
diers of fortune beyond sea, to spin out a war — 
we shall make the kingdom weary of us, and 
hate the name of a parliament. ... I am far 
from reflecting on any. I know the worth of 
tho^e commanders, members of both houses, 
who are yet in power ; bnt if I may speak my 
conscience without reflection upon any, I do 
conceive that if the army be not put into an- 
other method, and the war more vigorously 
prosecuted, the people can bear the war no 
longer, and will enforce to you a dishonorable 
peace." 

Thus, when amid this great struggle, it was 
no part of Cromwell's genius or policy to seek 
and maneuver " how not to do it ;" but he 
was for "moving at once upon the enemy's 
works," and bringing the conflict to a con- 
clusion at the earliest possible date. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 65 



CHAPTER XII. 

Self-denying Ordinance — Cromwell appointed Lieutenant- 
General — Battle of Naseby — Another great Victory — 
Cromwell's Report to Parliament' — Commendation, of the 
Soldiers — The Battle decisive — King's Treachery revealed. 

Early in 1645, the famous " Self-denying 
Ordinance" passed both houses of parliament. 
By this ordinance all members of parliament 
were excluded from commands in the army, and 
Cromwell, of course, prepared to take leave of 
his general, Fairfax. " But circumstances, which 
seemed to proceed from the hand of God, pre- 
vented him. Hostilities broke out afresh, and 
Oliver did not think it right, at such a moment, 
to return his sword into the scabbard. He 
rushed upon the ene„my at the head of his 
Puritans, and everywhere the cavaliers fled 
before him, Fairfax declared that he could 
not dispense with him." ' , 

"Indeed, to Fairfax and his officers, to the 
parliament, to the Committee of both King- 
doms, to all persons, it is clear that Cromwell 
cannot be dispensed with. Fairfax and the 



6Q LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. . 

officers petition parliament that he may be 
appointed their lieutenant-general, commander 
in chief of the horse. There is a clear neces- 
sity in it. Parliament, the Commons somewhat 
more readily than the Lords, continue, by in- 
stallments of 'forty days,' of ' three months,' his 
services in the army; and, at length, grow to 
regard him as a constant element there. . . . 
There is trace of evidence that Cromwell's con- 
tinuance in the army had, even by the framers 
of the Self-denying Ordinance, been considered 
a thing possible, a thing desirable : it well 
might ! To Cromwell himself there was no 
overpowering felicity in getting out to be shot 
at, except where wanted ; he very probably, as 
Sprigge intimates, did let the matter in silence 
take its own course." * 

On the 14th of June was fought the great 
battle of ITaseby ; of which Cromwell, on the 
same night, forwards to parliament the follow- 
ing account : 

" We marched yesterday after the king, who 
went before us from Daventry'to Harborough, 
and quartered about six miles from him. This 
day we marched toward him. He drew out to 

'•'" Carlyle. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 67 

meet us ; both armies engaged. "We, after three 
hours' fight, very doubtful, at last routed his 
army; killed and took about "Rve thousand — 
very many officers, but of what quality we yet 
know not. We took also about two hundred 
carriages, all he had, and all his guns, being 
twelve in number. . . . Sir, this is none other 
but the hand of God ; and to him alone belongs 
the glory, wherein none are to share with him. 
The general served you with all faithfulness and 
honor ; and the best commendation I can give 
him is, that, I dare say, he attributes all to God, 
and would rather perish than assume it to him- 
self — which is an honest and a thriving way. 
And yet as much for bravery may be given 
to him, in this action, as to a man. Honest 
men served you faithfully in this action. Sir, 
they are trusty ; I beseech you, in the name of 
God, not to discourage them. I wish this ac- 
tion may beget thankfulness and humility in 
all that are concerned in it. He that ventures 
his life for the liberty of his country, I wish he 
may trust God for the liberty of his conscience, 
and you for the liberty he fights for." 

This was a decisive battle, and fatal to the 
royalists. " The king fought desperately, but 



68 LIFE OF OLIVEE CKOMWELL. 

lost liis private cabinet of papers and letters, 
which were sent to London, where it was care- 
fully examined by the parliament. In it they 
fonnd the clearest proofs that, notwithstanding 
his frequent denials, he was perpetually solicit- 
ing the aid of foreign princes, and that he had 
protested against the name of parliament which 
he had o^iven to the two Houses. These docu- 
ments, which were published under the title of 
" The King's Cabinet Opened," entirely ruined 
Charles in the minds of his people. There is a 
justice in heaven which permits neither kings 
nor the humblest of their subjects to live by 
falsehood and to make a mockery of oaths. By 
his deception and perjury Charles had forfeited 
the respect of many who were desirons to main- 
tain the dignity of the throne, and from this 
period no hope remained." * 

* Yindication. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 



69 



CHAPTEE XIII. 

liament- Cromwell attributes all Success to Divine Help 

Chrfstian'n"°'^ 'l ''' '°''""' ^^^^^-^is Yiews of 
Oiinstian Union -A curious Soldier _ Comments. 

FoLLOwma the great and decisive battle of 
^aseby was the storming and capture of 
Bristol, into which Prince Eupert'^ had shut 
himself. Here, too, was a great struggle and' 
victory. A great amount of arms and military 
stores rewarded the victors. The garrison was 
manned by two thousand five hundred foot 
one thousand horse, besides from one to two' 
thousand auxiliaries, all of whom were sur- 
rendered. 

Cromwel], after reporting to parliament, by ' 
direction of his superior officer, a detailed ac- 
count of the storming and capture of this for- 
midable post, concludes his address as follows: 
"Thus I have given you a true, but not a full 

who had married Frederick Y., Elector Palatine. He es' 
poused the cause of his uncle, and was a desperate fighter 



70 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

account of this great business ; wlierein he who 
runs may read that all this is none other than 
the work of God. He must be a very atheist 
that doth not acknowledge it. ' 

"It may be thought that some praises are 
due to those gallant men of whose valor so 
much mention is made — their humble suit to 
you and all that have an interest in this bless- 
ing is, that in the remembrance of God's praises 
they be forgotten. It's their joy that they are 
instruments of God's glory and their country's 
good. It's their honor that God vouchsafes to 
use them. Sir, they that have been employed 
in this service know that faith and prayer ob- 
tained this city for you ; I do not say ours only, 
but of the people of God with you and all 
England over, who have wrestled with God for 
a blessing in this very thing. Our desires are 
that God may be glorified by the same spirit 
of faith by which we ask all our sufficiency, 
and have received it. It is meet that he have 
all the praise. Presbyterians, Independents — 
all have here the same spirit of faith and 
prayer, the same presence and answer; they 
agree here, have no names of difference; pity 
it is it should be otherwise anywhere ! All that 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 71 

believe have the real unity, which is most 
glorious ; because inward and spiritual, in the 
Body and to the Head.* For being united in 
forms, commonly called uniformity, every Chris- 
tian will for peace' sake study and do as far as 
conscience will permit. And for brethren, in 
things of the mind we look for no compulsion 
but that of light and reason. In other things, 
God hath put the sword in the parliament's 
hands, for the terror of evil doers and the praise 
of them that do well. If any plead exemption 
from that, he knows not the Gospel ; if any 
would wring that out of your hands, or steal 
it from you under what pretense soever, I hope 
they shall do it without effect. That God may 
maintain it in your hands, and direct you in 
the use thereof, is the prayer of your humble 
servant, Oliver Cromwell." 

What a curious kind of 'a soldier was this 
Lieutenant-General Cromwell 1 Is it a man of 
war or a messenger of evangelism that writes 
this report ? It is both. The sword had leaped 
from its scabbard, and is uplifted for the terror 
of evil doers. It is ready to be sheathed when 

* " Head " is Christ ; " Body," Church of Christ. 



72 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

tlie enemies of peace and true religion are van- 
quished. 

D'Aubigne thus comments on the report of 
General Cromwell : 

" These are remarkable words. Glory to 
God in heaven ; union among the children of 
God upon earth. Such are the general's two 
grand thoughts. How far superior he shows 
himself to the petty quarrels which then di- 
vided the Presbyterians and the Independents ! 
At the same time he distinguishes with great 
precision between spiritual and temporal things. 
According to his views, love should prevail in 
the one, the sword in the other. Full of charity 
toward his brethren, rejecting every restraint 
upon religion, and proclaiming the great princi- 
ples of liberty of conscience, how terrible he 
appears with his sword in his hand ! " "^ 
* Yindication. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 73 



CHAPTER XIY. 

Further Successes — "Winchester Captured — Report of the 
Capture — Cromwell's Magnanimity to the Enemy — Cap- 
ture of Bassing House — Hugh Peter's Testimony of Crom- 
well — Close of first Civil War — Eoyalists defeated — King 
goes to the Scots — Cromwell returns to Parliament. 

The war goes on. From the capture of Bristol, 
the army turns southward to grapple with the 
remaining forces of royalism in that region. 

'' The parliament army went steadily and 
rapidly on, storming Bridgewater, storming all 
manner of towns and castles, clearing the ground 
before them.'^^ " 

Cromwell is always in the midst of the forces 
and the victories — always present in the general 
or partial fights; and especially renowned by 
his sieges, and the capture of many strong- 
places. 

Amid all this rapidity and brilliancy of suc- 
cesses let us note the manner of spirit char- 
acterizing this man of war. 

Having, with several regiments, entered "Win- 
chester, another of the royalist strongholds, and 

* Carlyle. 



74 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

compelled the castle to surrender, Cromwell 
thus reports to parliament : 

^' Sir, this is the addition of another mercj. 
You see God is not wearj in doing you good, 
I confess, sir, his favor to you is as visible 
when he comes by his power upon the hearts 
of your enemies, making them quit places of 
strength to you, as when he gives courage to 
your soldiers to attempt hard things. His good- 
ness in this is much to be acknowledged ; for 
the castle was well manned with six hundred 
and eighty horse and foot, there being near 
two hundred gentlemen officers and their serv- 
ants; well victualed with fifteen thousand 
weight of cheese, very great store of wheat and 
beer; near twenty barrels of powder, seven 
pieces of cannon. The works were exceeding 
good and strong. It's very likely it would 
have cost much blood to have gained it by 
storm. We have not lost twelve men. This 
is repeated to you that God may have all the 
praise, for it's all his due." Oarlyle adds, that 
"it was at the surrender of Winchester that 
certain of the captive enemies having com- 
plained of being plundered contrary to articles, 
Cromwell had the accused parties, six of his 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 75 

own soldiers, tried. Being all found guilty, 
one of them, by lot, was hanged, and the other 
^ve were marched off to Oxford, to be there 
disposed of as the governor saw fit. The Ox- 
ford governor politely returned the five prison- 
ers, with an acknowledgment of the lieutenant- 
general's nobleness." 

Basing House, another strong royalist gar- 
rison, is next brought to surrender, October 14, 
1645. 

' Col. Hammond and Mr. Hugh Peters were 
commanded to carry the news of this victory 
to the parliament at London. Among other 
interesting things Mr. Peters states as follows : 

" This is now the twentieth garrison that 
hath been taken in this summer by this army ; 
and, I believe, most of them the answers of the 
prayers, and trophies of the faith of some of 
God's servants.. The commander of this bri- 
gade. Lieutenant-general Cromwell, had spent 
much time with God in prayer the night before 
the storm, and seldom fights without some 
text of Scripture to support him. This time 
he rested upon that blessed word of God, writ- 
ten in the one hundred and fifteenth psalm, 
eighth verse : ' They that make them are like 



76 LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 

unto them ; so is everyone that trusteth in 
them; which, with some verses going before, 
was now being accomplished." 

D' Aiibigne adds that, " Every day of his life 
he retired to read, the Scriptures and to pray. 
Those who watched him narrowly relate that, 
after having perused a chapter in the Bible, he 
was wont to prostrate himself with his face on 
the ground, and with tears pour out his soul 
before Grod. Who can charge with hypocrisy 
these inward movements of a soul which pass 
all knowledge ? For what ' man knoweth the 
things of a man, save the spirit of man which 
is in him ? ' " 

So obvious is it that Oliver Cromwell was a 
Christian as well as a warrior ; and when he 
drew his sword it was " for God and liberty." 

Here the war may be said to have closed. 
The king retired to Oxford, and to obscurity; 
a very few places held out till the following 
year, '(1646.) The last of the distingnished 
royalist generals. Sir Jacob Astley, approach- 
ing Oxford with a small force, was beaten 
and captured. Surrendering himself, the brave 
veteran is reported to have said to his captors : 
"Ton have now done your work ; you may go 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 77 

to play, unless you will fall out among your- 
selves." 

Shortly after this the king, disguised and in 
the nighty left Oxford, hardly knowing whither 
he went ; but proceeded at length to Newark, 
and to the Scotch army. About the same time 
Cromwell returned to his place in parliament, 
and what may be termed the Urst civil war was 
ended. 



CHAPTER XY. 

Disturbed State of England — King a Prisoner at the Isle of 
Wight — Royalists — Presbyterians — London Levelers — 
Divided Parliament — Approach of a Scotch Army— Riots 
— Cromwell calls to Union — Falls sick — Recovers — Let- 
ter to General Fairfax. 

From 1646 to 1648 there was a cessation of 
actual hostilities, while yet a disturbed and un- 
happy state of affairs troubled the people of 
England. The king had failed to establish his 
authority; his forces were vanquished mainly 
by the consummate generalship of Cromwell 
and the bravery of his invincible Ironsides. 
Charles himself had come into the hands of the 
parliament, and was now held in durance at 



78 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

the Isle of Wight. By Cromwell, the army, 
and the parliament, he was esteemed "utterly 
faithless, and an enemy of his country; and 
the time was past when they conld come to 
any accommodation with him or he with them. 
Yet what should be done with him was a prob- 
lem which seemed difficult of solution ; and he 
seemed to stand as one of the prominent obsta- 
cles to the peaceful settlement of the country. 
Carlyle thus graphically sums up the grand 
difficulties : 

" The small governing party in England, 
during those early months of 1648, are in a 
position which might fill the bravest mind with 
misgivings. Elements of destruction every- 
where under and around them ; their lot either 
to conquer or ignominiously to die. A king 
not to be bargained with ; kept in Carisbrooke, 
the center of all factious hopes, of world-wide 
intrigues ; that is one element. A great royal- 
ist party, subdued with difficulty, and ready at 
all moments to rise again ; that is another. A 
great Presbyterian party, at the head of which 
is London city, ^ the purse-bearer of the cause,' 
highly dissatisfied at the course things had 
taken, and looking desperately around for new 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 79 

combinations and a new struggle ; reckon tliat 
for a third element. Add, lastly, a headlong 
Mutineer, Kepublican, or Leveling Party ; and 
consider that there is a working House of Com- 
mons which counts about seventy, divided in 
pretty equal halves too, the rest waiting what 
will come of it."'^ 

The same author does not omit to notice 
still another " element," namely, the approach 
of a Scotch army of forty thousand strong, " to 
deliver the king from sectaries." This means 
that a great array of Presbyterians was com- 
ing to put down Episcopalians, Independents, 
Quakers, Republicans, Levelers, and such 
like. 

Meanwhile Cromwell, deeply sensible of the 
critical state of affairs, exerts himself to the 
utmost to effect a union of all parties friendly 
to the cause of the parliament, but with but 
little effect. Serious disturbances and riots oc- 
cur, especially in London, and such riots as 
cannot be put down but by desperate charges 
of cavalry. 

Just amid these somber days, Cromwell was 
seized with a dangerous illness. On his re- 

-= Ciirlyle, i, 251. 



80 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

coverj he tlius addresses his superior officer, 
General Fairfax : 

"Sir: It hath pleased Grod to raise me out 
of a dangerous sickness ; and I do most willing- 
ly acknowledge that the Lord hath, in this visit- 
ation, exercised the bowels of a father toward 
me. I received in myself the sentence of death 
that I might learn to trust in Him that raiseth 
from the dead, and have no confidence in the 
fiesh. It's a blessed thing to die daily. For 
what is there in this world to be accounted of! 
The best men, according to the flesh, are lighter 
than vanity. I find this only good : To love 
the Lord and his poor despised people ; to do 
for them, and to be ready to suffer with them ; 
and he that is found worthy of this hath ob- 
tained great favor from the Lord ; and he that 
is established in this shall (being confirmed to 
Christ and the rest of the body) participate in 
the glory of a resurrection which will answer 
all." ^ 

"What a way of writing from one general 
officer to another ! What kind of soldiers were 
these strange men ! Let us glance into the next 
chapter and learn still more of them. 

*Carlyle, i, 244. ' 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 81 



CHAPTEE XYI. 

A "Protracted Meeting" at Windsor Castle — Prayer — 
Preaching — Self-searching — Reflection — Great Difficulty 
discerned — Bitter weeping — Light — A most Solemn De- 
cision. 

Eaely in the year 1648, whether before or 
after the sickness of Cromwell alluded to in 
the last chapter, the army leaders, described by 
Carlyle as " The longest heads and the strongest 
hearts in England," held what, in these mt)dern 
days, would be called a " protracted meeting," 
and one of a deeply interesting character. It 
was, in fact, so interesting that we cannot re- 
frain from quoting one or two extracts descrip- 
tive of its proceedings. The report of the said 
proceedings is by the pen of Adjutant- General 
Allen, one of the officers of the army, and " a most 
authentic, earnest man." He writes : "^Accord- 
ingly we did agree to meet at Windsor Castle 
about the beginning of '48. And there we 
spent one day together in prayer, inquiring into 
the causes of that sad dispensation, (let all men 



82 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

consider it,) coming to no furtlier result, that daj, 
but that it was* still our duty to seek. And on 
the morrow, we met again in the morning, 
where many spake from the word, and prayed ; 
and the then Lieutenant- General ^Cromwell did 
press very earnestly on all there present to a 
thorough consideration of our actions as an 
army, and of our ways particularly as private 
Christians, to see if any iniquity could be found 
in them, and what it was ; that if possible we 
might find out, and so remove the cause of such 
sad rebukes as were upon us (by reason of our 
iniquities, as we judged) at that time. And the 
way more particularly the Lord led us to herein 
was this : To look back and consider what time 
it was when, with joint satisfaction, we could 
last say, to the best of our judgment, the 
presence of the Lord was among us, and re- 
bukes and judgments were not as then upon 
us. Which time the Lord led us 'jointly to find 
out and agree in ; and, having done so, to pro- 
ceed, as we then judged it our duty, to search 
into all oup public actions as an army afterward ; 
duly weighing (as the Lord helped us) each of 
them, with their grounds, rules, and ends, as 
near as we could. And so we concluded this 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 83 

second day witli agreeing to meet again on tlie 
morrow. Which accordingly we did upon the 
same occasion, reassuming the consideration of 
onr debates the day before, and reviewing onr 
actions again. 

" By which means we 'were, by a gracious 
hand of the Lord, led to find out the very steps 
(as we were all then jointly convinced) by which 
we had departed from the Lord, and provoked 
him to depart from us. Which we found to be 
those cursed carnal conferences our own con- 
ceited wisdom, our fears, and want of faith had 
prompted us, the year before, to entertain with 
the king and his party. . . . 

"And in this path the Lord led us, not only 
to see our sin, but also our duty ; and this so 
unanimously set with weight upon each heart, 
that none was hardly able to speak a word to 
each other for bitter weeping ; partly in the 
sense and shame of our iniquities, of our unbe- 
lief, base fear of men, and carnal consultations 
(as the fruit thereof) with our own wisdom, 
and not with the word of the Lord, which only 
is a way of wisdom, strength, and safety, and 
all besides it are ways of snares; and yet we 
were also helped, with fear and trembling, to 



84 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

rejoice in the Lord, whose faithfalness and lov- 
ing-kindness we were made to see yet failed ns 
not ; who remembered ns still, even in our low 
estate, because his mercy endures forever. 
Who no sooner brought us to his feet, acknowl- 
edging him in that way of his, (namely, search- 
ing for, being ashamed of, and willing to 
turn from, our iniquities,) but he did direct our 
steps ; and presentl;^ we were led and helped 
to a clear agreement among ourselves, not any 
dissenting, that it was the duty of our day, 
with the forces we had, to go out and fight 
against those potent enemies which that year 
in all places appeared against us; with an hum- 
ble confidence, in the name of the Lord only, 
that we should destroy them. And we were 
also enabled there, after serious seeking his face, 
to come to a very clear and joint resolution, 
on many grounds at large there debated among 
us, that it was our duty, if ever the Lord brought 
us back again in peace, to call Charles Stuart, 
that man of blood, to an account for that blood 
he had shed, and mischief he had done, to his 
utmost, against the Lord's cause and people 
in these poor nations. 

" And how the Lord led and prospered us in 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 85 

all our undertakings that year in this way; 
cutting his work short in righteousness, making 
it a year of mercy, equal if not transcendent 
to any since these wars began ; and making it 
worthy of remembrance by every gracious soul 
who was wise to observe the Lord, and the 
operations of his hands, I wish may never be 
forgotten." * 

Carlyle thus comments on the above : 
" Abysses, black chaotic whirlwinds ! does the 
reader look upon it all as madness ? Madness 
lies close by, as madness does to the highest 
wisdom in man's life always ; but this is not 
mad! This dark element, it is the mother of 
the lightnings and the splendors; it is very 
sane this ! " f 

* Carlyle, i, 254-256. f Letters, i, 357. 



86 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 



CHAPTEK XYII. 

Heavings and Disquiet — Uprising in Wales and Kent — A 
Scotch Army approaching — London plotting for the King 
— Parliament vacillates — Cromwell on the War-path — 
Dashes upon the Scots — G-re at Victory at Preston — 
Report to Parliament — Great Rejoicings — Scots retreat 
North, followed by Cromwell. 

It was well to praj and humble themselves 
before God ; for, as we have seen, there were al- 
ready heavings, and tumults, and general dis- 
quiet. Charles, though a prisoner, was full of 
intrigue and deception. The cavaliers were 
plotting with the people. In the spring of 
1648 a discontent, hourly becoming more gen- 
eral, announced itself among the Presbyterians 
and loyalists in Wales and in Kent. Several 
of the parliamentary officers joined the king's 
standard. The Scotch army was approaching, 
prepared to fight for the restoration of Charles. 
London was raising troops for the same pur- 
pose; and even the parliament relented, and 
voted that fresh negotiations shall immediately 
be opened with the king at his place of con- 
finement in the Isle of Wight. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 87 

Meanwhile Cromwell is again on the war- 
path. He is soon in Wales at the head of five 
regiments, and suddenly crushes the rebellions 
uprisings in the west. Then he hastens north- 
ward to checkmate the Scots, who, with an 
army of twenty thousand strong, are already 
invading England. His marches ^re like the 
lightning. Suddenly the invading cavalry no- 
tify the Scotch commander that Cromwell is 
approaching. " Impossible ! " replies the duke, 
'' he has not had time to come." But the out- 
posts were already engaged with the advanced 
guard of the parliamentary general. Cromwell 
defeats the royalists, dashes upon the Scots, 
routs them thoroughly, crosses the river with 
them, follows them closely as they flee; and, 
after two days' pursuing and fighting, compels 
them to surrender. A fortnight's campaign 
suffices to sweep away the whole northern army. 
Such was the famous fight of Preston ; and the 
following are the closing sentences of General 
Cromwell's report of the battle to parliament. 
It presents another illustration of military suc- 
cess, as also of the spirit of the chief actor : 

" Thus you have a narrative of the particu- 
lars of the success which God hath given you ; 



88 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

■which I could hardly at this time have done, 
considering the multiplicity of business ; but 
truly when I was once engaged in it I could 
hardly tell how to say less, there being so much 
of God in it ; and I am not willing to say more, 
lest there should seem to be any of man. Only 
give me leave to add one word showing the dis- 
parity of forces on both sides ; that so you. may 
see, and all the world acknowledge, the great 
hand of God in this business. The Scots army 
could not be less than twelve thousand effective 
foot, well armed, and five thousand horse ; Lang- 
dale not less than two thousand five hundred 
foot and fifteen hundred horse ; in all twenty- 
one thousand; and truly very few of their 
foot but were as well armed, if not better, than 
yours, and at divers disputes did fight two or 
three hours before they would quit their ground. 
Yours were about two thousand five hundred 
horse and dragoons of your old army; about 
four thousand foot of your old army ; also about 
sixteen hundred Lancashire foot, and about 'Slyq 
hundred Lancashire horse; in all about eight 
thousand six hundred. You see by computation 
about two thousand of the enemy were slain ; 
between eight and nine thousand prisoners, 



LIFE OF OLIYER CEOMWELL. 89 

besides what are lurking in hedges and private 
places, which the country daily bring in or 
destroy. Where Langdale and his broken 
forces are I know not; but they are exceed- 
ingly shattered. 

" Surely^ sir, this is nothing but the hand of 
God; and wherever anything in this world is 
exalted, or exalts itself, God will put it down ; 
for this is the day wherein he a](^ne will be ex- 
alted. It is not fit for me to give advice, nor to 
say a word what use you should make of this, 
more than to pray you, and all that acknowl- 
edge God, that they would exalt him, and not 
hate his people, who are as the apple of his eye, 
and for whom even kings shall be reproved; 
and that you would take courage to do the 
work of the Lord in fulfilling the end of your 
magistracy, in seeking the peace and welfare of 
this land ; that all that will live peaceably may 
have countenance from you, and they that are 
incapable, and will not leave troubling the 
land, may speedily be destroyed out of the 
land. And if you take courage in this, God 
will bless you, and good men will stand by 
you, and God- will have glory, and the land 
will have happiness by you in despite of all 



90 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

your enemies ; which shall be the prayer of your 
most humble and faithful servant, 

"Oliver Cromwell." 

Of the two messengers deputed to bear the 
news of this great success to the parliament, 
one received $1,000, and the other $500. A 
day of unusual thanksgiving for this wonderful- 
ly great success was likewise ordered ; and ten 
thousand copies of a printed schedule of items 
to be thankful for were dispatched throughout 
the land. 

The remnant of the Scotch army, with their 
commander the duke of Hamilton, a few days 
after surrendered themselves, all except the 
rearward of their forces, which immediately 
turned back toward Scotland, marauding and 
plundering as they wended their weary way 
toward their own country. 

Cromwell follows northward to look after 
these enemies, and proceeds to Edinburgh to 
compose matters, and where he is tendered a 
magnificent reception. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 91 



CHAPTEE XYIII. 

Second Civil "War ended — Parliament still vacillating — It 
sends a Commission to the King — Forty-day Conference — 
King's Double-dealing — Cromwell's Discernment. 

Thus, and in so few montlis, was the second 
civil war ended. 

"Will it be believed that, amid all this brill- 
iant success and advantage — all purchased at 
the cost of so much blood and toil and treasure 
— the English parliament itself was in a vacil- 
lating condition, was alarmed at the success of 
their own cause, and still evincing a leaning 
toward royalty, and toward the execrable 
monarch who had been guilty of so much 
bloodshed, who had brought so much sorrow 
and distress npon the land, and was still plot- 
iug the overthrow of liberty, and the complete 
ruin of many of the best people of the country ? 
In the very midst of this last civil war, amid 
the very days when Cromwell was achieving 
the great victory of Preston, and subsequently 
thundering at the gates of Edinburgh, and 



92 LIFE OF OLIYEE CEOMWELL. 

bringing tlae Scots to terms — at tliis very time 
the parliament at home were deliberating about 
proposals to the king, with a view to his re- 
suming the throne and the government. Fif- 
teen commissioners, live members of the Upper 
House, and ten of the Commons, were deputed 
to wait on the king at his place of confinement 
in the Isle of Wight, with a view to reconcilia- 
tion and restoration. There was a long con- 
ference of forty days and more. Proposals 
were made to the perfidious king; and the 
commissioners entreated him to accept of these 
before the return of the army from the north. 
The king seemed inclined to comply; but, true 
to his double-dealing, he was nourishing in his 
heart a far different hope. Ormond, a royalist 
renegade, "had quitted France, and was about 
to reappear in Ireland, provided with money 
and ammunition to enter upon a vigorous war. 
Charles's heart was there ; he thought of escap- 
ing and putting himself at the head of that 
army. He solemnly promised to give orders 
for the cessation of all hostilities in Ireland; 
but, at the same time, secretly wrote to Ormond 
on the 10th of October, ' Trouble not. yourself 
about my concessions as to Ireland. Obey my 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 93 

wife's orders, not mine.' And on the 9tli of 
the same month he wrote to Sir "William Hop- 
kins: ^My great concession this morning was 
made only with a view to facilitate my ap- 
proaching escape.' Such was the prince whose 
dupe the parliament became. There never, 
perhaps, was any body of men who showed 
themselves so simple, or who gave such evi- 
dence of folly and inexperience." * 

Oliver Cromwell knows Charles Stuart bet- 
ter — knows him thoroughly — knows him so 
well as to have not the slightest confidence in 
him — knows him to be false, to be a traitor, 
and deserving of nothing less than dethrone- 
ment and death, if so be that death were ever 
deserved by man at the hand of his fellow-man. 

But as the great Providence will have it, 
these mean approaches to the king on the part 
of the parliament, prove to be vain and fruit- 
less. Charles has other plans ; and is pre|)aring 
to add another to the illustrations that whom 
the gods purpose to destroy they first make 
mad. 

* Yindication, p. 83, 



94 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

The real Alternative — The Army Officers — Remonstrance — 
Its Doctrines — Result in Parliament — Army approaches 
London — " Pride's Purge " — Grave Consequences — Con- 
currence of Cromwell. 

Iw respect to the two great hostile parties pitted 
against each other in these unhappy civil wars 
—the parliament and its forces on the one hand, 
and the king and royalists on the other — nearly 
the following seems to have been the real alter- 
native. 

Either the parliament must maintain the ad- 
vantages which, by its victorious arms, it had 
secured, and go on, as it had begun, to estab- 
lish a government guaranteeing a just civil and 
religious liberty to the people ; or, on the other 
hand, submitting again to the government and 
power of the king, all the prodigies of valor, 
long labors, great sacrifices, and astonishing vic- 
tories in the cause of liberty and Protestantism 
would be rendered vain ; Popery and tyranny 
would resume their sway; good men through- 
out the land would be oppressed, the army lead- 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 95 

ers belieaded, the rank and file driven by thou- 
sands into exile, and the hopes of Protestantism 
crushed and overthrown. 

The sagacious eye of Cromwell saw this great 
and awful dilemma with a clear vision. He 
saw that the great crisis was at hand, and he 
would fain meet it in the fear of God and with 
an eye upon the true welfare of his afflicted 
country. But other officers of the army beside 
Cromwell were, at this point of time, ill at ease 
in contemplating the present aspect of affairs. 
The principal forces were at St. Albans under 
General Fairfax, while Cromwell, with the 
troops under his command, was yet in the 
north. At St. Albans a council of the officers 
proposed a serious remonstrance to the House 
of Commons, Avhich was presented by a deputa- 
tion of their own body, and endorsed by a letter 
from Gen. Fairfax. This remonstrance urged 
their sad apprehensions of the danger and evil 
of the treaty with the king, and of any accom- 
modation with him ; that he ought to be brought 
to trial on account of the evils done by him ; 
that the English monarchy should henceforth 
be elective, or that no king be hereafter admit- 
ted but by the election of, and as upon trust 



96 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

from, the people by their representatives, nor 
without first disclaiming and disavowing all 
pretense to a negative voice against the determ- 
inations of the said representatives or Com- 
mons in parliament; and that to be done in 
some certain form, more clear than heretofore, 
in the coronation oath; that a period should 
be set to this present parliament ; that parlia- 
ments in future should be annual or biennial, 
and that the elective franchise should be ex- 
tended and made more equal. 

Much more was embraced in this remon- 
strance ; but it is curious to remark how, with 
one or two slight modifications, the political 
sentiments above stated harmonize with the prin- 
ciples of enlightened republicanism as recognized 
and adopted in the American political systems. 

This famous remonstrance excited a long 
and high debate, which was, at length, ad- 
journed. 

After some days, the question recurring of 
resuming the consideration of the army re- 
monstrance, it was negatived by the Presby- 
terian majority. On the same eventful day the 
House was informed, in the conclusion of an 
additional declaration from a full council of the 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 97 

army, that the armj was marching toward 
London, " there to follow providence as God 
should clear their way." 

All this occurred 'Noy. 30. Six days after- 
terward (December 6, 1648) was revealed, in 
part, what these army officers meant by "fol- 
lowing Providence." On that day, two regi- 
ments surrounded the parliament house. A 
regiment of horse occupied Palace yard, and a 
regiment of foot, commanded by Colonel Pride, 
occupied Westminster Hall and all the entrances 
to the House of Commons. 

Colonel Pride holds in his hand a list of pro- 
scribed names of the House of Commons ; and 
as each person approaches to enter and assume 
his place, if his name is upon the colonel's list, 
he is placed under guard, and escorted away 
from the House. Thus, on this and the follow- 
ing day, above a hundred members of the Com- 
mons were summarily banished from the parlia- 
ment. ]!!Tone were allowed to remain but such 
as were acceptable to the council of officers, 
and thus the minority became the majority. 
This transaction, from the immediate agent 
concerned, goes down in history by the name 
of "Pride's Purge." A strange transaction, 



98 LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 

indeed, and justifiable only amid the greatest 
extremities ; and it was' followed by the most 
grave and solemn consequences. But Oliver 
Cromwell was not originally a party to this 
proceeding, having arrived from the north while 
the purging was in progress. Yet it must be 
added that he endorsed it at once. " God is 
my witness," said he in his place, " that I knew 
nothing of what has been doing in this House. 
But the work is in hand ; I am glad of it, and 
now we must carry it through." 

This, of course, was a measure entirely 
revolutionary in its character; and opinions 
will differ as to its righteousness, according as 
they may differ in respect to the stern necessity 
of the times. These officers seem to have de- 
cided clearly and conscientiously that the in- 
terests of religion, liberty, and their own lives 
would almost certainly be sacrificed by this 
parliament in their project of reinstating King 
Charles, as was about to be done ; and, having 
the power in their hands, they determined to 
forestall and prevent such a catastrophe. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 99 



CHAPTER XX. 

King brought to London — Charges against him — Cromwell 
hesitates — "High Court of Justice " — King arraigned — 
Refusal to plead — Condemned to die — Death Warrant — 
Execution. 

A FAR more painfal scene immediately ensues. 
Ten days after the purging, by the army, of 
the House of Commons, a strong party of 
horse, whether by order of the Commons or 
army officers is not plain, was dispatched to 
bring the king from the Isle of Wight to Lon- 
don ; and, on the 23d of the month, he was 
safely lodged a prisoner in Windsor Castle. 
On the same day, the Commons ordered a com- 
mittee of thirty-eight persons "to consider of 
drawing 'tip a charge against the king, and all 
other delinquents that may be thought fit to 
bring to condign punishment." On the first 
day of January, 1649, this committee reported 
to the Commons an ordinance for bringing the 
king to trial on a charge of high treason — as 
the cause of all the blood which had been shed 
during the last war. Pending the adoption 
of this grave report Cromwell hesitated ; and. 



100 LIFE OF OLIVEE CROMWELL. 

rising in his place and addressing the speaker, 
he said : " Sir, if any man whatever have car- 
ried on fhis design, [of deposing the king and 
disinheriting his posterity,] or if any man have 
stillsuch a design, he mnst still be the greatest 
traitor and rebel in the world. But since the 
providence of God hath cast this upon us, I 
cannot but submit to Providence, though I am 
not yet prepared to give you my advice." 

D'Aubigne, as it appears to us, places in its 
proper light the case of Cromwell at this solemn 
juncture of affairs. " The initiative," he writes, 
" in the case of Charles's trial did not proceed 
from Cromwell. His scruples and his anxiety 
grew stronger every day. Should he yield to 
the powerful tide that was hurrying him along, 
and which no one seemed capable of resisting ? 
or should he withdraw from public affairs, and, 
sacrificing the great interests of civil and re- 
ligious liberty in behalf of which the struggle 
had first begun, commit the direction of affairs 
to unskillful hands whose weakness would in- 
evitably lead to the return of despotism and of 
popery? Seldom or never has there been a 
more terrible conflict in human breast." * 

* Yindication, p. 90. 



LIFE OF OLIVES CEOMWELL. 101 

The same author adds with truth that "the 
Episcopalians, the English Presbyterians, the 
Church of Scotland, protested all against the 
king's trial. 'No regard was paid, however, 
to any opposition, and the parliament at 
once proceeded to erect a "High Court of 
Justice " for trying the sovereign, consisting 
of one hundred and thirty-five commissioners ; 
and, on January 20th, Charles was brought to 
the bar. To the last the king disclaimed 
the authority of the court, and persistently 
refused to plead before it. After a sitting 
of seven dav^^^nd the examination of many 
witnesses, fthe court found their royal prisoner 
guilty of the charge of tyranny, treason, and 
murder ; of being the guilty cause of the whole 
civil war, the death of thousands of the free 
people of the nation, divisions within the land, 
invasions from foreign parts, waste of the public 
treasury, decay of trade, spoliation and desola- 
tion of great parts of the country, etc. ;j and 
ended with pronouncing upon the king the 
sentence of death. 

On the 29th of January the " High Court of 
Justice'^ issued to Colonels Hacker, Hanks, 
and Phayr the following warrant : 



102 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

" Wliereas, Charles Stuart, king of England, 
is and standeth convicted, attainted, and con- 
demned of high treason, and other high crimes ; 
and sentence, npon Saturday last, was pro- 
nounced against him by this court, to be put 
to death by the severing of his head from his 
body ; of v^hich sentence execution yet remain- 
eth to be done : 

" These, are, therefore, to will and require 
you to see the said sentence executed in the 
open street before Whitehall, upon the morrow, 
being the 30th day of this instant month of 
January, between the hours often in the morn- 
ing and -Rve in the afternoon, with full eifect. 
And for so doing this shall be your warrant. 

"And these are to require all officers and 
soldiers and others the good people of this 
nation of England to be assisting unto you in 
this service. 

" Given under our hands and seals : 

" JoHK Beadshaw, 

" Thomas Geey, ' Loed Groby.' 

"Olivee Ceomwell, 

" (And fifty-six others.)" 
This dreadful' warrant was executed on the 
following day. 



IfQ 




LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 105 



CHAPTEE XXI. 

Shadows — Cromwell's Connection with the King's Death' — 
Verdict of Posterity — Cromwell's Scruples — Ultimate 
Conviction ^— Character of Cromwell's Piety. 

The best, brightest eartlily lives have their 
shadows; and the trial and execution of Charles 
I. presents one of the shadows that rest upon 
the career of Oliver Cromwell. He was a 
member of the Rump Parliament, and doubtless 
approved the plan of proceeding, and assisted 
to create the " High Court of Justice," and 
consented to be a member of this court. He 
was the third signer of the warrant for the 
king's execution. He was a particeps criminis 
to all the extent that crime was involved in 
this sad transaction. And that it was a crime 
— a crime and a blunder — is, we think, the per- 
vading sentiment of mankind. That Charles I. 
was utterly unworthy to be a king; that he was 
false, intriguing, cruel, tyrannical, and treason- 
able ; that he was all of these, the world knows. 
But it were better that he had been dethroned, 



106 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

exiled, disgraced. It was shocking, revolting, 
horrible to bring him to the scaffold.'^ 

Such seems to be the verdict of posterity ; 
and Cromwell was in this thipg. It is true, as 
we have seen, at the first proposal in parliament 
to proceed against the king, Cromwell shrunk 
back with horror ; but he acquiesced, notwith- 
standing, and was one of the regicides. 

Yet the whole truth should be told, and all 
extenuating circumstances should be faithfully 
brought to view. 

Let it be understood, then, that Cromwell 
fully understood the character of King Charles. 
He had evidence, clear as demonstration, of his 

* We object very decidedly to the author's views respecting 
the execution, of Charles I. He admits the king's treason, 
which was a crime punishable with death under the laws 
he had sworn to maintain. If the parliament possessed any 
governmental rights, it certainly had the right to try, convict, 
and punish a criminal, even though he might be a king. 
Where, then, was Charles's execution a crime? We think it 
was a merited punishment for a grave offense against liberty 
and law. Had he been only exiled, he would have stirred up 
the monarchs of continental Europe to aid him in recovering 
his crown. Moreover, his execution was politic as well as 
right, for it did much toward breaking down that popular 
superstitious reverence for the persons of king;s which up to 
that time had been a formidable bulwark of despotism. We 
think this is the general opinion of the best friends of civil 
liberty in modern times. — D. W. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 107 

falsity and hypocrisy, and tliat, if reinstated, lie 
would bring Ms prominent enemies to the halter. 
Thus, knowing the king as he did, Cromwell 
and those with whom he acted entertained not 
the least doubt that he richly deserved to die, 
and they judged that the circumstance of his 
being king should be no hinderance to the exer- 
cise of justice upon him. Cromwell's pole-star 
was the civil and religious liberty of mankind, 
and he contemplated Charles as aiming to de- 
stroy both the one and the other ; and hence he 
came to believe that such a monster should be 
swept from the earth. 'Nor yet was he hasty 
and rash in reaching so grave a conclusion. 
The religion of this remarkable man was ardent 
and constant, and he was not prepared at once 
to sign the king's death warrant. For a time 
he seems to have been uncertain and w^avering. 
He longed above all things to do right ; but 
what was the right in this case? Painful 
dilemma indeed ! In the midst of his per- 
plexity he told his cousin, John Cromwell, 
that he had " fasted and prayed to know the 
will of God in respect to the king, but that 
God had not yet pointed out the way." When 
his cousin, who was opposed to Oliver's signing 



108 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

the fatal warrant, had retired, " Cromwell and 
his friends again sought by prayer the path 
they ought to follow ; and it was then the par- 
liamentary hero first felt the conviction that 
Charles's death alone could save England. 
From that moment all was fixed; God had 
spoken ; Oliver's indecision was at an end ; it 
remained now merely to act and accomplish 
that will, however appalling it might be. At 
one o'clock in the morning a messenger from 
the general knocked at the door of the tavern 
where John Cromwell lodged, and informed 
him that his cousin had at length dismissed 
his doubts, and that all the arguments so long 
put forward by the most decided republicans 
were now confirmed by the will of the Lord." "^ 

The propriety of all this we neither affirm 
nor deny ; but must submit it as evidence that 
Cromwell was sincere in his convictions of duty 
in so grave a matter, and that conscience, per- 
verted though it may have been, was the ruling 
principle by which he was actuated. 

The religion of Cromwell, as was very com- 
mon in that age, was more or less tinctured 
with fanaticism, and this one blemish accounts 

'"' D'Aiibigne. » 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 109 

for much that appears shadowy and doubtful 
in the character of this great man. '' This," 
says one of his biographers, " is the key which 
opens and explains his whole life. His piety 
was sincere, but it was not always sober. 

" Yet if this error be a great extenuation of 
the protector's fault, the crime to which it led 
him must ever remain in history as a warning 
to terrify those who may base their conduct on 
their inward impressions rather than on the 
sure, positive, and ever-accessible inspirations 
of that word of God which never deceives." 



CHAPTEK XXII. 

Council of State — Cromwell a Member — England a Com- 
monwealth — Monarchy abolished — Richard Cromwell's 
Marriage — Letter to Richard's Father-in-law — News of a 
Victory in Ireland — Another Letter — A. Letter to his 
Daughter-in-law — Cromwell's Domestic Character. 

By way of the settlement of the nation the 
parliament presently created a " Council of 
State " to act as the executive branch of the 
government. This council consisted of forty- 
one members, and commenced its sessions in 



110 LIFE OF OLIVEU CROMWELL. 

about two weeks after the king's deatli. Of 
this council were Cromwell, Fairfax — the general 
of the parliament forces, Bradshaw, (the pres- 
ident of the court that tried and condemned 
King Charles,) and other names of note. En- 
gland and all its appurtenances were declared 
a commonwealth, or free state ; and was de- 
creed to be governed as such " by the supreme 
authority of this nation, the representatives of 
the people in parliament, and by such as they 
shall appoint and constitute officers and minis- 
ters under them for the good of the people ; 
and that without any king or House of 
Lords." * 

And here, within an interim of a few months, 
and while but a few events of a public or ex- 
citing character are transpiring, let us pause to 
illustrate, by one or two brief extracts, the 
more private and domestic character of Crom- 
well, and contemplate yet further the " ruling 
passion " of his heart. 

On May 1st of this year, (1649,) Cromwell's 
eldest son, Richard, was married to a- daughter 
of Kichard Mayor, Esq. In July following he 
thus writes to his brother Mayor : 

*Carlyle, i, 336. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. Ill 

" Loving Brother : I received your letter 
by Major Long. ... I am very glad to hear 
of your welfare, and that our children have so 
good leisure to make a journey to eat cherries. 
It's very excusable in my daughter ; I hope she 
may have a very good pretense for it. I assure 
you, sir, I wish her very well, and I believe she 
knows it. I pray you tell her for me, I expect 
she writes often to me ; by which I shall under- 
stand how all your family doth, and she will be 
kept in some exercise. I have already delivered 
my son up to you, and I hope you will coun- 
sel him ; he will need it ; and, indeed, I believe 
he likes well what you say, and will be advised 
by you. I wish he may be serious ; the times 
require it. 

"I hope my little sister* is in health, to 
whom I desire my very hearty affections and 
service may be presented ; as also to my cousin 
Ann,f to whom I wish a good husband. I 
desire my affections may be presented to all 
your family, to which I wish a blessing from 
the Lord. I "hope I shall have your prayers in 
the business to which I am called. My wife, I 
trust, will be v/itli you before it be long on her 

* Mrs. Mayor. f Ann Mayor. 



112 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

way toward Bristol. Sir, discompose not your 
thoughts or estate for what you are to pay me. 
Let me know wherein I may comply with your 
occasions and mind ; and be confident you will 
find me to you as your own heart. 

"Wishing your prosperity and contentment 
very sincerely, with the remembrance of my 
love, I rest. 

" Your affectionate brother and servant, 
" Oliver Cromwell." 

A few days after, on receiving news of a 
signal victory in Ireland on the part of the parlia- 
mentary troops, he addresses his brother Mayor 
again as follows : 

" This (the victory) is an astonishing mercy ; 
so great and seasonable that indeed we are like 
them that dreamed. What can we say ! The 
Lord fill our souls with thankfulness, that our 
mouths may be full of his praise — and our lives 
too ; and grant we may never forget his good- 
ness to us. These things seem to strengthen 
our faith and love against more difficult times. 
Sir, pray for me, that I may walk worthy 
of the Lord, in all that he hath called me unto ! 

" I have committed my son to you ; pray give 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 113 

him advice. I envy him not his contents;* 
but I fear he should be swallowed up in them. 
I would have him mind and understand busi- 
ness, read a little history, study the mathematics 
and cosmography ; these are good, with subordi- 
nation to the things of God. Better than idle- 
ness, or mere outward worldly contents. These 
fit for public services, for which a man is 
born. 

" Pardon this trouble. I am thus bold be- 
cause I know you love me ; as, indeed, I do you 
and yours. My love to my dear sister and my 
cousin Ann your daughter, and all friends. 
'' I rest, sir, your loving brother. 

'^P. S. Sir, I desire you not to discommo- 
date yourself because of the money due to me. 
Your welfare is as mine ; and, therefore, let me 
know, from time to time, what will convenience 
you in any forbearance ; I shall answer you in 
it, and be ready to accommodate you ; and, 
therefore, do your other business ; let not this 
hinder." 

At the same date (August 13) he thus ad- 
dresses his daughter-in-law : 

* His joys — pleasures. 



114 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

"My Dear Daughter: Tour letter was 
very welcome to me. I like to see anything 
from your hand ; because, indeed, I stick not to 
say I do entirely love you, and therefore I hope 
a word of advice will not be unwelcome or un- 
acceptable to thee. 

"I desire you both to make it, above all 
things, your business to seek the Lord, to be 
frequently calling upon him, that he would 
manifest himself to you in his Son ; and be 
listening what returns he makes to you; for he 
will be speaking in your ear and in your heart, 
if you attend thereunto. I desire you to pro- 
voke your husband likewise thereunto. As for 
the pleasures of this life, and outward business, 
let that be upon the bye. Be above all these 
things, by faith in Christ ; and then you shall 
have the true use and comfort of them, and not 
otherwise. I have much satisfaction in hope 
your spirit is this way set; and I desire you 
may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of 
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; and that I 
may hear thereof. The Lord is very near, which 
we see by his wonderful works ; and therefore 
he looks that we of this generation draw near 
to him. This late great mercy of Ireland is a 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 115 

p-reat manifestation thereof. Your husband 
will acquaint you with it. We should be 
much stirred up in our spirits to thankfulness. 
We much need the Spirit of Christ to enable 
us to praise God for so admirable mercy. 

" The Lord bless thee, my dear daughter. 
" I rest, thy loving father, 

"Oliyee Ceomwell." 

Such was Oliver Cromwell — such was Oliver 
Cromwell's heart. He was a terrible man of 
war, for he evidently believed he was divinely 
called to fight for the great and vital interests 
of humanity. Yet when wars were distant 
he was eminently a man of peace, and de- 
lighted in the beautiful amenities of social 
life, and to invite all that were dear to him 
within the sacred precincts of the life divine. 



110 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTEK XXIII. 

Cromwell starts for Ireland — Rides in State — Reaches 
Bristol — Embarks at Milford Haven — Arrives at Dublin 
— Grand Reception — His Speech — Great Applause. 

"Wheit Cromwell penned the several extracts 
of letters presented in the preceding chapter, 
he had already proceeded far on his way to 
Ireland as commander-in-chief of the forces 
destined to set in order that distracted realm. 
Carlyle, in his own style, thus pictures to us 
the scene as Cromwell leaves London on this 
important expedition. 

" Tuesday, 10th of July, 1649. This even- 
ing, about five of the clock, the lord lieutenant 
of Ireland began his journey ; by the way of 
Windsor, and so to Bristol. He went forth in 
that state and equipage as the like hath hardly 
been seen — himself in a coach with six gallant 
Flanders mares, whitish gray; divers coaches 
accompanying him, and very many great of- 
ficers of the army ; his life-guard consisting of 
eighty gallant men, the meanest whereof a 
commander or esquire, in stately habit ; with 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 117 

trumpets sounding almost to tlie shaking of 
Charing Cross^ liad it been now standing. Of 
his life-guard, many are colonels ; and, believe 
me, it's such a guard as is hardly to be par- 
alleled in the world. And now have at you, 
ray lord of Ormond ! You will have men of 
gallantry to encounter; whom to overcome 
will be honor sufficient, and to be beaten by 
them will be no great blemish to your reputa- 
tion. If you say, Cesar or nothing ; they say, 
A republic or nothing. The lord-lieutenant's 
colors are white." ^'' 

Pie proceeded westward to Bristol and Pem- 
broke, embarked at Milford Plaven, where, just 
as he was about to sail, he was greeted with 
the joyful news of the great Dublin victory 
alluded to in one of the foregoing letters. 
After two days sail, with a prosperous wind, he 
arrived in Dublin, '' where," say the old chron- 
icles, " he was received with all possible dem- 
onstrations of joy ; the great guns echoing 
forth their welcome, and the acclamations of 
the people resounding in every street. The lord- 
lieutenant being come into the city, where the 
concourse of the people was very great, they 

*Letter5<, i, 366. 



lis LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

all flocking to see him of whom before they 
had heard so much — at a convenient place he 
made a stand, ' and with his hat in his hand 
made a speech to them,' to this effect : ' That 
as God had brought him thither in safety, so he 
doubted not, by Divine Providence, to restore 
them all to their just liberties and properties,' 
and that all persons whose hearts' affections 
were real for the carrying on of this great 
work against the barbarous and blood-thirsty 
Irish, and their confederates and adherents, 
and for propagating of Christ's Gospel and 
■establishing of truth and peace, and restoring 
of this bleeding nation of Ireland to its former 
happiness and tranquility — should find favor 
and protection from the parliament of England 
and him ; and withal receive such rewards and 
gratuities as might be answerable to their merits. 
This speech," say the old newspapers, " was en- 
tertained with great applause by the people; 
who all cried out, ' We will live and die with 



you 



!'" 



LIFE OF OLIVEH CEOMWELL. 119 



CHAPTER XXIY. 

Ireland — Its unhappy Condition — Massacres of Protestants 
— Shocking details — -'Picture by Carlyle — JSTearly all Ire- 
land united against Cromwell — He smites the Foe. 

At the time of Cromwell's expedition to Ire- 
land that country had been for several years in 
a naost disordered and unhappy condition. In 
1640 the Irish Roman Catholics had broken 
out into rebellion, and massacred an incredible 
number of Protestants, varying, according to 
the different accounts, from fifty to two hundred 
thousand victims. This was the Hibernian 
Saint Bartholomew. At that time the Roman 
Catholics of Ireland had no cause of complaint ; 
Charles I. had taken care of them. They had 
their archbishops, bishops, vicars-general ; and, 
above all, a great number of Jesuits. It was 
in such a state of things that, shrouding them- 
selves in the deepest secresy, like the West In- 
dia negroes meditating a plot for the massacre 
of the white man, the Irish conceived the design 
not only of erasing from their country every 
trace of the English nation and of Protestant- 



120 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

ism, but also of crossing over into England, of 
becoming its masters with the aid of Spain and 
the pope, and of abolishing the reformed religion 
in that island. 

The details of this bloody scene were too 
dreadful to be named ; whi^e yet a specimen 
or two should be noted as some explanation 
of the terrible punishment that, by the glitter- 
ing sword of Cromwell, subsequently befell the 
murderers : " The Catholics burned the houses 
of the Protestants, , turned them out naked in 
the midst of winter, and drove them like herds 
of swine before them. If ashamed of their 
nudity, and desirous of seeking shelter from the 
rigor of a remarkably severe season, these un- 
happy wretches took refuge in a barn, and 
concealed themselves under the straw, the 
rebels instantly set fire to it, and burned them 
alive. At other times they were led without 
clothing to be drowned in rivers; and if, on 
the road, they did not move quick enough, 
they were urged forward at the point of the 
pike. When they reached the river or the sea, 
they were precipitated into it in bands of 
several hundred, which is doubtless an exag- 
geration. If these poor wretches rose to the 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 12i 



surface of the water, men were stationed alona? 



* 



, ^^^ ,,^^^ ^^^^.^^^y^ cvxv/x^g, 



tlie brink to plunge them in again with the 
butts of their muskets, or to fire at and kill 
them. Husbands were cut to pieces in the 
presence of their wives ; wives and virgins were 
abused in the sight of their nearest relations ; 
and infants of seven or eight years were hung 
before the eyes of their parents. Nay, the 
Irish even went so far as to teach their own 
children to strip and kill the children of the 
English, and dash out their brains against the 
stones. ISTumbers of Protestants were buried 
alive, as many as seventy in one trench. An 
Irish priest, named Mac Ocdeghan, captured 
forty or fifty Protestants, and persuaded them 
to abjure their religion on a promise of quarter. 
After their abjuration, he asked them ,if they 
believed that Christ was bodily present in the 
host, and that the pope was the head of the 
Church ? and on their replying . in the affirma- 
tive, he said, 'Now, then, you are in a very 
good faith,' and for fear they should relapse 
into heresy cut all their throats." ■"^- 

Nor did cruel fighting, desperate violence, and 
frightful misery cease to afflict that wretched 

* D'Aubiffne. 



122 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

people during all the eight years previous to 
Cromwell's arrival there. Carlyle writes : 
"There has been no scene under the sun 
like Ireland for these eight years. Murder, 
pillage, conflagration, excommunication ; wide- 
flowing blood, and bluster high as heaven and 
St. Peter ; as if wolves or rabid dogs were in 
fight here ; as if demons from the pit had 
mounted up to deface this fair green piece of 
God's creation with their talkings and work- 
ings ! It is and shall remain very dark to us. 
Conceive Ireland wasted, torn in pieces ; black 
controversy, as of demons and rabid wolves 
rushing over the face of it so long ; incurable 
and very dim to us; till here at last, as 'in the 
torrent of heaven's lightning descending liquid 
on it, we have clear and terrible views of its 
affairs for a time ! " * 

On Cromwell's approach, all the parties that 
had been engaged in ravaging Ireland united 
to oppose him. Pilate and Herod were at once 
mad,e friends. Catholics of different shades, 
Episcopalians and Presbyterian royalists, all 
rallied to the standard of the enemy. " In all 
Ireland," says Carlyle, "when Cromwell sets 

* Letters, i, 376. 



LIFE OF OLIVE:^ CROMWELL. 123 

foot on it, there remain only two towns, Dub- 
lin and Berry, that hold for the Commonwealth. 
Dublin lately besieged, Derry still besieged. 
A very formidable combination. All Ireland 
kneaded together, by favorable accident and 
the incredible patience of Ormond, stands up 
in one great combination, resolute to resist the 
commonwealth. Combination great in bulk, 
but made of iron and clay ; in meaning not so 
great. Oliver has taken survey and measure 
of it; Oliver descends on it like the hammer of 
Thor; smites it, as at one fell stroke, into dust 
and ruin, never to reunite ao;ainst him more." 



CHAPTEE XXV. 

Cromwell's Army — Its Religious Character — One of two 
Plans of Operation — The one adopted — Its prompt Exe- 
cution — Fall of Drogheda — Details of the Siege — Wex- 
ford and Ross reduced — Nearly the whole Country yields 
to the Conqueror. 

Cromwell came to Ireland with twelve thou- 
sand men; not a large army, but formidable 
an d terrible. ' ' Before they embarked the troops 
observed a day of fasting and prayer; three 
ministers solemnly invoked the blessing of God 



124 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

on the expedition ; and three officers — the 
Colonels Gough and Harrison, with the lord- 
lieutenant himself — expounded certain pertinent 
passages of Scripture. The army was under the 
strictest discipline ; not an oath was to be heard 
throughout the whole camp, the soldiers spend- 
ing their leisure hours in reading their Bibles, in 
singing psalms, and in religious conferences." * 
It was a momentous question with Cromwell, 
as a general, what was the proper and effectual 
plan of operations for the restoration of order 
in distracted Ireland. " Should he employ a 
few weeks, with the sacrifice of five thousand 
men, or several years, with the loss of perhaps 
twenty thousand? If he took prompt and 
formidable measures, such as were calculated 
to spread terror on every side, he w^ould im- 
mediately check the disease. If, on the con- 
trary, he proceeded with a light and hesitating 
hand, he would prolong it indefinitely. To 
Cromwell the most energetic way appeared the 
most humane. He acted as men do in a great 
conflagration, where the adjoining houses are 
pulled down to save the more remote ; or, as in 
an hospital, where a diseased limb is cut off to 

* D' Aiibicrne. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 125 

preserve the others. Havhig weighed every- 
thing, he decided for the hand of iron. That 
hand is never amiable, but yet there are cases 
in which it is salutary." * 

Such was Cromwell's plan, which he pro- 
ceeded at once to put in execution. His suc- 
cess was great and decisive. But details of 
blood are painful ; let a single specimen suffice 
for the whole. • 

As soon as Ormond is informed of the arrival 
of Cromwell, he determines, with the flower of 
his forces to put Drogheda in a position to resist 
the enemy, and to render the port as formidable 
as possible. On the following day Cromwell 
appears before the city and orders a general 
assault. This being partially unsuccessful, the 
attack is renewed the next morning, and he 
enters the city by two different breaches. Let 
his report to parliament, dated Dublin, lYtli 
September, 1649, tell the remainder of the story : 

"Divers of the enemy retreated into the 
Mill-mount, a place very strong and of difficult 
access, being exceedingly high, having a good 
graff and strongly palisaded. The governor, 
Sir Arthur Ashton, and divers considerable 



126 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

officers being there, our men getting up to them 
were ordered by me to put them all to the 
sword. And,? indeed, being in the heat of 
action, I forbade them to spare any that were 
in arms in the town ; and, I think, that night, 
they put to the sword about two thousand men ; 
divers of the officers and soldiers being fled 
over the bridge into the other part of the town, 
where about one hundred of them possessed St. 
Peter's Church steeple, some the west gate, 
and others a strong round tower next to the 
gate, called St. Sunday's. These being sum- 
moned to yield to mercy, refused. Whereupon 
I ordered the steeple of St. Peter's Church to 
be fired ; when one of them was heard to say 
in the midst of the flames : ' God damn me, God 
confound me ; I burn, I burn.' 

" The next day the other two towers were 
summoned, in one of which was about six or 
seven score, but they refused to yield them- 
selves; and we, knowing that hunger must 
compel them, set only good guards to secure 
them from running away until their stomachs 
were come down. From one of the said 
towers, notwithstanding their condition, they 
killed and wounded some of our men. When 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 127 

they submitted, their officers were knocked on 
the head, and every tenth man of the soldiers 
killed, and the rest shipped for the Barbadoes. 
The soldiers in the other tower were all 
spared, as to their lives only, and shipped 
likewise for the Barbadoes. 

"I am persuaded that this is a righteous judg- 
ment of God upon these barbarous wretches, 
who have imbrued their hands in so much in- 
nocent blood ; and that it will tend to prevent 
the effusion of blood for the future, which 
are the satisfactory grounds to such actions, 
which otherwise cannot but work remorse and 
regret. . . . And now give me leave to say 
how it comes to pass that this work is wrought. 
It was set upon some of our hearts that a great 
thing should be done, not by power or might, 
but by the Spirit of God. And is it not so, 
clearly 1 That which caused your men to storm 
so courageously, it was the Spirit of God, who 
gave your men courage, and took it away again ; 
and gave the enemy courage, and took it away 
again ; and gave your men courage again, and 
therewith this happy success. And, therefore, 
it is good that God alone have all the glory." ^"■ 

* Letters, i, ?,83, 384. 



128 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELI/. 

Cromwell at once marclied to Wexford, where 
horrible cruelties had been perpetrated upon 
the English residents by the Irish, and where 
death had been proclaimed as punishment for 
every Irish person who should harbor or re- 
lieve an Englishman. The summons to surren- 
der being refused, Cromwell gave orders for the 
assault, and became master of the place with a 
loss to the enemy of two thousand men, who 
were put to the sword. 

Then the victorious army appears before 
Ross, another stronghold of the enemy, and 
sent the following summons to the commander : 

'^ Sir ; Since my coming into Ireland I have 
this witness for myself, that I have endeavored 
to avoid effusion of blood ; having been before 
no place to which such terms have not been 
first sent as might have turned to the good and 
preservation of those to whom they were offered ; 
this being my principle, that the people and 
places where I come may not suffer, except 
through their own willfulness. 

" To the end I may observe the like course 
with this place and people therein, I do hereby 
summon you to deliver the town of Ross into 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 129 

my hands, to the use of the parliament of 
England. Expecting yonr speedy answer, 1 
rest. 

•' Your servant, Oliver Cromwell." 

After some correspondence the place was 
surrendered. The terrible lessons of Drogheda 
and Wexford had produced their effect. Crom- 
well's severe policy was successful. " The arms 
fell from the rebels' hands in every quarter of 
Ireland before the formidable name of Crom- 
well. By the middle of May the whole country 
was reduced, with the exception of one or two 
places, which Ireton subsequently captured. 
Ormond escaped to France. Thus, by inflict- 
ing these two terrible blows, at Drogheda and 
Wexford, the victor taught the murderers the 
necessity of submission, prevented a greater 
effusion of blood, and restored peace in Ire- 
land." * 

* Vindication, p. 111. 



130 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 



CHAPTER XXYI. 

Ireland redeemed — Milton's Description of Cromwell's Sol- 
diers — Letter to Mr. Maj^or — ISTeal — Cromwell embarks for 
England — G-reat Reception at Bristol — At London. 

D'AuBiaNE writes that " historians, even those 
most opposed to Cromwell, acknowledge that 
no statesman ever did so much as he for the 
good of that poor country. Public order and 
security, such as had not been known for many 
years, revived. The province of Connaught, 
then a vast desert district, was soon changed 
into a fruitful country, and the rest of Ireland 
was everywhere cultivated with activity and 
confidence. In the space of little more than 
two years, the whole kingdom was covered 
with elegant and useful buildings, fine planta- 
tions, and new inclosures. Peace, ease, and 
industry had returned to that unhappy land. 
Clarendon, and M. Yillemain after him, cannot 
conceal their astonishment at it; and there is 
no impropriety in applying the rule of Scrip- 
ture to Cromwell's conquest of Ireland, the tree 
is hnown hy itsfruitP 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 131 

The same writer adds :- " We need not won- 
der at these results, if we call to mind Milton's 
description of Cromwell's soldiers : ' He raised 
an army as numerous and well equipped as was 
ever before done within so short a period ; les- 
soned to the most perfect obedience, high in 
the affections of its fellow-citizens, and not 
more formidable to its enemies in the field than 
admirable for its behavior to them out of it ; 
having so foreborne all injury to their persons 
or properties, in comparison with the violence, 
intemperance, profaneness, and debauchery of 
their own royalists, as to make them exult in 
the change, and hail in them a host not of 
fiends but of friends, {non hostes sed hosjntes /) 
a protection to the good, a terror to the bad, 
and an encouragement to every species of piety 
and virtue." ^ 

Together" with many official dispatches to the 
parliament, touching the progress of affairs, we 
have the following note to his brother Mayor, 
bearing date, Carrick, 2d April, 1650 : 

'' Dear Brother : For me to write unto you 
the state of our affairs here were more indeed 

* Yindication, pp. Ill, 112, 



132 " LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

than I have leisure well to do, and, therefore, 
I hope you do not expect it from me; seeing 
when I write to the parliament I usually am, 
as becomes me, very particular with them, and 
usually from thence the knowledge thereof is 
spread. 

'' Only this let me say, which is the best 
intelligence to friends that are truly Christian : 
The Lord is pleased still to vouchsafe us his 
presence, and to prosper his own work in our 
hands; which to us is the more eminent 
because truly we are a company of poor, 
weak, worthless creatures. Truly our work 
is neither from our own brains nor from ou'r 
courage and strength; but w^e follow the 
Lord, who goeth before, and gather what he 
scattereth, that so all may appear to be from 
him. 

" The taking of the city of Kilkenny hath 
been one of our last works ; which, indeed, I 
believe hath, been a great discomposing of the 
enemy, it's so much in their bowels. We have 
taken many considerable places lately without 
much loss. "What can we say to these things ? 
If God be for us, who can be against us? Who 
can fight against the Lord and prosper ? Who 



LIFE OF OLIVER. CROMWELL. 133 

can resist Ms will? The Lord keep us in his 
love. 

" I desire your prayers ; your family is often 
in niine." * 

After having been nine months in Ireland, 
and having charged his son-in-law, Ireton, with 
the completion of the work there, Cromwell, 
at the earnest solicitation of parliament, pre- 
pares to return to Englarfd. During these 
few months " he had gained as a soldier," says 
Mr. E"eal, " more laurels, and done more won- 
ders, than any age or history could parallel." f 
Amid the last days of May, 1650, he steps on 
board the frigate President, which had been 
sent over to attend his- excellency's pleasure, 
and, after a rough passage, reaches England in 
safety. At Bristol, on his way to London, he 
is received with great honors and acclamations. 
Approaching London, "all the world is out to 
welcome him." " Pairfax, and chief officers, 
and members of parliament, with solemn salu- 
tation, on Hounslow Heath; from HoudsIow 
Heath to Hyde Park, where are trainbands and 
lord mayors; to Whitehall and the Cockpit, 

* Letters, i, 423, 424. f deal's History of the Puritans. 



134: LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

whicli are better than these, it is one wide 
tumult of salutation, congratulation, artillerj- 
voUeying, human shouting, hero-worship after 
a sort, not the best sort. It was on this occa- 
sion that Oliver said, or is reported to have 
said, when some sycophantic person observed, 
" What a crowd come out to see your lord- 
ship's triumph ! " " Yes, but if it were to see 
me hanged, how many would there be ! " * 

Arriving at the' place which had been pre- 
pared for him, he was visited by the lord mayor 
and aldermen of London, and by many other 
persons of quality, all of them expressing their 
own and the nation's great obligations to him 
for Mb eminent services in Ireland. After some 
time of respite and refreshment he attended 
his charge in parliament, where the speaker, in 
an elegant speech, gave him the thanks of the 
House, f 

* Letters i, 426. - f Perfect Politician, 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 135 



CHAPTER XXYII. 

Scotland opposed to the Commonwealth — Favorable to the 
Succession of Charles II. — He is invited to Scotland — His 
Character — Cromwell marches with an Army to Scotland 
— Had been appointed Generalissimo — A Letter to Mr, 
Mayor, 

Cromwell reached London from his great 
Irish campaign on the 31st of May, 1650. On 
the 29th of June, within a single month from 
his arrival home, he passed again from London 
on another military expedition to Scotland. 

The Scots, although opposed to the tyranny 
of the Stuarts, and opposed to Rome, at once 
put themselves in opposition to the Common- 
wealth of England. D'Aubign^ gives us the 
true position of the Scots at this particular 
period. " In spiritual things the Scots acknowl- 
edged Jesus Christ ag their king ; in temporal, 
they recognized Charles the Second. They had 
no wish that the latter should usurp the king- 
dom of the former ; but they also had no desire 
that Cromwell should seize upon the Stuarts' 
throne. They possessed a double loyalty — one 
toward the heavenly King, and another to 



136 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

their earthly sovereign. They had cast off the 
abuses of the latter, but not the monarchy itself. 
They accordingly invited the prince, who was 
then in Holland, to come to Scotland and take 
possession of his kingdom." * But in taking 
the crown of Scotland the prince must adopt 
the Presbyterian covenant also ; a thing which 
he was very slow to do. Yet, as he could not 
have one without the other, he reluctantly and 
hypocritically yielded. The most serious think- 
ers in the nation saw that they could expect 
little else from him than duplicity, treachery, 
and licentiousness. It has been said that the 
Scotch compelled Charles to adopt their detested 
covenant voluntarily ! Most certainly the po- 
litical leaders cannot be entirely exculpated of 
this charge ; but it was not so with the re- 
ligious part of the government. "When he de- 
clared his readiness to sign that deed on board 
the ship, even before he landed, Livingston, 
who doubted his sincerity, begged him to wait 
until he had reached Scotland, and given satis- 
factory proofs of his good faith. But it was all 
to no effect ; and when again, at Dunfermline, 
Charles wished to append his signature to a 

* Yindication, pp. 128, 129. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 137 

% 

new declaration, by wMcL. he renounced Popery 
and Episcopacy, and asserted that he had no 
other enemies than those of the covenant, the 
Kev. Patrick Gillespie said to him : ' Sire, un- 
less in your soul and conscience you are satis- 
fied, beyond all hesitation, of the righteousness 
of this declaration, do not subscribe it ; no, do 
not subscribe it, not for the three kingdoms.' 
' Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Gillespie,' replied the king, 
' I am satisfied, I am satisfied ; . . . and there- 
fore will subscribe.' " * 

The same author adds : " If Charles Stuart 
had thought of ascending his native throne 
only, Cromwell and the English would have 
remained quiet ; but he aimed at the recovery 
of the three kingdoms, and the Scotch were 
disposed to aid him. Oliver immediately saw 
the magnitude of the danger which threatened 
the religion, liberty, and morals of England, 
and did not hesitate." 

All this will sufficiently explain the new 
military expedition to Scotland. Of this expe- 
dition, much against his will, Cromwell was 
placed in command. There seems to have 
been earnest intercessions, solemn conferences, 

* Yindication, pp. 129, 130. 



138 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

held witli General Fairfax, accompanied with 
prayer to Heaven, "intended, on Cromwell's 
part, to persuade Fairfax that it is his duty 
again to accept the chief command, and lead ns 
into Scotland. Fairfax, nrged by his wife, who 
was a zealous Presbyterian, dare not and will 
not go ;" and, the next day, resigns his commis- 
sion of general-in-chief of the forces of the Com- 
monwealth, in order that Cromwell might be 
appointed to that office. 

Accordingly, on Wednesday, 26th June, 1650, 
the Commons' journals record for the day " the 
act, appointing that Oliver Cromwell, Esquire, 
be constituted captain-general and commander- 
in-chief of all the forces raised or to be raised 
by authority of parliament witliin the Com- 
monwealth of England," was passed. Where- 
upon, says one of the old writers, there were 
great ceremonies and congratulations of the 
new general from all sorts of people ; and three 
days from that of his appointment " the l^ord 
General Cromwell went out of London toward 
the north ; and the news of his marching north- 
ward mu.ch startled the Scots." * 

From Northumberland, about a fortnight 

* Letters, i, 439. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 139 

after leaving London, lie addresses tlie follow- 
ing note to his brother Major, who, it will be 
held in mind, was the father of Eichard Crom- 
well's wife : 

''Dear Brother: The exceeding crowd of 
business I had at London is the best excuse I 
can make for my silence this way. Indeed, 
sir, my heart beareth me witness I want no 
affection for you or yours ; you are all often in 
my poor prayers. 

" I should be glad to hear how the little brat 
doth.* I could chide both father and mother 
for their neglects of me ; I know my son is idle, 
but I have better thoughts of Doll. I doubt 
now her husband hath spoiled her; pray tell 
her so from me. If I had as good leisure as 
they I should write sometimes. . . . The 
Lord bless them! I hope you give my son 
good counsel; I believe he needs it. He is 
in the dangerous time of his age, and it's a 
very vain world. O how good it is to close 
with Christ betimes! there is nothing: else 
worth looking after. I beseech you call upon 
liim. I hope you will discharge my duty 

* Richard has an heir. 



140 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

and your own love; you see how I am em- 
ployed. I need pity. I know what I feel. 
G-reat place and business in the world is not 
worth the looking after; I. should have no 
comfort in mine, but that my hope is in the 
Lord's presence. I have not sought these 
things ; truly I have been called unto them by 
the Lord ; and, therefore, am not without some 
assurance that he will enable his poor worm 
and weak servant to do his will and to fulfill 
my generation. In this I desire your prayers. 
Desiring to be lovingly remembered to my 
dear sister, to our son and daughter, to my 
Cousin Ann and the good family, I rest. 
"" Your very affectionate brother, 

"Oliver Cromwell." 



LIFE OF OLIVES CEOMWELL. 141 



CHAPTEE XXYIII. 

Cromwell encamps across the Border — Issues a Proclama- 
tion — Asserts Uprightness of Motive — ISTo Harm in- 
tended except against the Pretensions of Charles — Scots 
bent upon his' Accession to the Throne — A large Army 
j)repares to meet Cromwell — The great Battle of Dunbar — 
Splendid Victory over the Scots — Cromwell's Report to 
Parliament. 

Cromwell and his army readied Scotland on 
the 22d of July, and encamped across the bor- 
der. On the march, and now after his arrival, 
he causes to be issued a Declaration "to all 
that are saints and partakers of the faith of 
God's elect in Scotland ;" also a Proclamation 
" to the people of Scotland " in general. The 
declaration asserts and argues to the Scots that 
in Charles Stuart and his party there can be 
no salvation ; that the English forces in enter- 
ing Scotland were seeking the real substance of 
that covenant which was so indispensable in 
the minds of the good people of Scotland, 
which substance it was perilous to desert for 
the mere outer form thereof. It affirmed that 
the English were not sectaries and blasphemers, 



142 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

as had been charged upon tliem by the Scots ; 
and that it went against their hearts to hurt a 
hair of any sincere servant of God. 

Eut the Scots, as we have seen, were greatly 
incensed with the trial and execution of King 
Charles, and were bitterly opposed to the 
commonwealth that had been established in 
place of monarchy. Hence they were bent 
upon the restoration of the Stuart dynasty, not 
only over themselves, but over all the three 
nations.* Thus they invited Charles II. to 
Scotland, who had hypocritically signed their 
covenant, thereby pledging himself to rule with 
Presbyterianism as the established religion. 
And to establish his authority throughout Scot- 
land, England, and Ireland they had raised an 
army, and were preparing to march with their 
new king into England. 

It was to checkmate all this bad business that 
the English army, with Cromwell at its head, 
was now encamped within the borders of Scot- 
land. The Scots were determined to saddle 
upon the whole country Charles, who was a 
papist, and a licentious and abandoned char- 
acter; while the English were equally deter- 

* England, Scotland, and Ireland. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 143 



mined that no such thing should be done. Thus 
the matter comes to arms, and the two hostile 
forces are now arrayed against each other. 

The English arnij, as we have seen, reached 
Scotland on the 22d of July. There were^ hard- 
ly more than twelve thousand effective soldiers 
while the army of the Scots, as it lay entrenched 
before Edinburgh, amounted to twenty-seven 
thousand men. Various movements and skir- 
mishes between the two armies occurred in the 
course of the five or six weeks ensuing. At 
length, the forces of Cromwell, in a somewhat 
reduced and forlorn condition, were hemmed 
in at Dunbar by the powerful forces of their 
enemies. Cromwell, seizing a favorable oppor- 
tunity, made a prodigious onset on the right 
wing of the Sco.ts, and after several hours of 
hard fighting routed them utterly, achieving 
one of the most splendid victories recorded in 
history. 

Cromwell's official report to parliament, of 
which the following is an extract, will present 
the best view of this great success. 

" The best of the enemy's horse being broken 
through and through in less than an hour's dis- 
pute, their whole army being put into confusion, 



144 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

it became a total route, our men liaviug the 
chase and execution of them near eight miles. 
We believe that upon the place and near about 
it were about three thousand slain. Prisoners 
taken : of their officers, you have this inclosed 
list ; of private soldiers near ten thousand. 
The whole baggage and train taken, wherein 
was good store of match, powder, and bullet ; 
all their artillery, great and small — thirty 
guns. We are confident they have left behind 
them not less than fifteen thousand arms. I 
have already brought in to me near two hund- 
red colors, which I herewith send you. What 
officers of theirs of quality are killed we yet 
cannot learn; but yet surely divers are; and 
many men of quality are mortally wounded: 
as Colonel Lumsden, the Lord Libberton, and 
others. And that which is no small addition, 
I do not believe we have lost twenty men. 
ISTot one commissioned officer slain as I hear of, 
save one cornet, and Major Rooksby, since 
dead of his wounds ; and not many mortally 
wounded ; Col. Whalley, only cut in the hand- 
wrist, and his horse (twice shot) killed under 
liim ; but he well recovered another horse, and 
went on in the chase." 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 145 

In the very act of reporting such a great 
achievement and success his eye is upon the 
true welfare of England. Mark him as he 
further writes : 

" Thus you have the prospect of one of the most 
signal mercies God hath done for England and 
his people this war ; and now may it please you 
to give me the leave of a few words. It is easy 
to say, ' The Lord hath done this.' It would 
do you good to see and hear our poor foot to 
go up and down making their boast of God. 
But, sir, it's in your hands ; and by these emi- 
nent mercies God puts it more into your hands 
to give glory to him ; to improve your power 
and his blessings to his praise. We that serve 
you beg of you not to own us, but God alone. 
We pray you own his people more and more, 
for they are the chariots and horsemen of Israel. 
Disown yourselves, but own your authority; 
and improve it to curb the proud and the inso- 
lent, such as would disturb the tranquillity of 
England, though under what specious preten- 
sions soever. Relieve the oppressed, hear the 
groans of poor prisoners in England. Be 
pleased to reform the abuses of all professions ; 
and if there be any one that makes many poor 



146 LIFE OF OLIYER CROMWELL. 

to make a few rich, that suits not a common- 
wealth. If He that strengthens your servants 
to fight, please to give your hearts to set upon 
these things, in order to his glory and the 
glory of your commonwealth, then, besides the 
benefit England shall feel thereby, you shall 
shine forth to other nations, who shall emulate 
the glory of such a pattern, and through the 
power of God turn in to the like." '^ 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Cromwell marches to Edinburgh — Ministers of Edinburgh 
flee to the Castle — Cromwell invites them to occupy their 
Pulpits as usual -^ Their Reply — He expostulates with 
theai — His Yiews of the Ministry. 

To unfold, so far as may be, the heart of Oliver 
Cromwell, and to point youthful students of 
history to the grand drift of this wonderful 
man's energies and life, are the main purposes 
of these pages. Hence let us follow him as, 
immediately after the battle of Dunbar, he 
proceeds to Edinburgh. He follows thither 
the scattered remnant of the Scotch army, a 

"Letters, i, 411, 4*72. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 147 

part of which return to the strong castle in the 
midst of the town. 

The ministers of the town, it seems, had 
taken refuge in the same stronghold, as being 
fearful of the victorious chief who was lately 
come into their country. 

The great battle was fought on Tuesday, Sep- 
tember 3. In the course of the same week 
Cromwell reached Edinburgh ; and on the Sab- 
bath observed that there was no preaching 
in the churches, the preachers, as we have 
seen, having fled to the castle. On Monday 
he directed the Lieutenant-General Whalley 
to address to the governor of the castle the fol- 
lowing note : 

" Sir : I received command from my lord 
general to desire you to let the ministers of 
Edinburgh, now in the castle with you, know 
that they have free liberty granted them, if 
they please to take the pains, to preach in 
their several churches ; and that my lord hath 
given special command, both to officers and 
soldiers, that they shall not, in the least, be mo- 
lested. Sir, I am your most humble servant, 

" Edward Whalley.-' 



148 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

The ministers, in a note, replied "That 
though they are ready to be spent in their 
Master's service, and to refuse no suffering so 
they may fulfill their ministry with joy; yet 
perceiving the persecution to be personal, by 
the practice of your party, upon the ministers 
of Christ in England and Ireland, and in the 
kingdom of Scotland since your unjust invasion 
thereof, and finding nothing expressed in yours 
whereupon to build any security for their per- 
sons while they are there, and for their return 
hither, they are resolved to reserve themselves 
for better times, and to wait upon Him who 
hath hidden h'is face for a while from the sons 
of Jacob." 

E'ot a very becoming reply, this, to such a 
message as that which was sent to these minis- 
ters ; and sent, too, by the victorious Cromwell. 

But let us note a part of his response. It is 
written by Cromwell himself, and the address 
is still to the governor of the castle : 

" Sir : The kindness offered to the ministers 
with you was done with ingenuity,^ thinking it 

* Ingeiiiionsness. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 149 

miglit have met witli the like ; but I am satis- 
fied to tell those with jou, that if their Master's 
service (as thej call it) were chiefiy in their eye, 
imagination of suffering would not have caused 
such a return ; much less would the practice 
of our party, as they are pleased to say, upon 
the ministers of Christ in England, have been 
an argument of personal persecution. 

" The ministers in England are supported, 
and have liberty to preach the Gospel ; though 
not to rail, nor, under pretense thereof, to over- 
top the civil power, or debase it as they please. 
'No man hath been troubled in England or Ire- 
land for preaching the Gospel; nor has any 
minister been molested in Scotland since the 
coming of the army hither. The speaking 
truth becomes the ministers of Christ. 

"When ministers pretend to a glorious 
reformation, and lay the foundations thereof 
in getting to themselves worldly power, and 
can make worldly mixtures to accomplish the 
same, such as their late agreement with their 
king, and hope by him to carry on their de- 
sign, they may know that the Zion promised 
will not be built of such un tempered mortar." ^ 

*L|fters, i, 479,480. 



150 LIFE OF OLIVEK CEOMWELL. 

In the course of some furtlier correspondence 
witli these ministers, we have some interesting 
views of Cromwell touching the Christian min- 
istry itself. Alluding to the arrogance of his 
clerical correspondents up in the castle, he 
tells them : " We have not so learned Christ. 
We look at ministers as helpers of, not lords 
over, God's people. I appeal to their con- 
sciences, whether any person trying their 
doctrines, and dissenting, shall not incur the 
censure of sectary ? And what is this but to 
deny Christians their liberty, and assume 
the infallible chair? What doth he* whom 
we would not be likened unto do more than 

this?" 

^^ 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Cromwell further instructs the Scotch Ministers. 

"You say you have just cause to regret that 
men of civil employments should usurp the 
calling and employment of the ministry, to 
the scandal of the Reformed kirks. Are you 
troubled that Christ is preached ? Is preaching so 
exclusively your function? Doth it scandalise 
the Reformed kirks, and Scotland in particular ? 

* Referring to the pope of Rome. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 161 

Is it against the Covenant? Away with the 
Covenant, if this be so ! I thought the Covenant 
and these 'professors of it' could have been 
willing that any should speak good of the name 
of Christ ; if not, it is no covenant of God's ap- 
proving ; nor are these Kirks you mention, in- 
so-much the spouse of Christ. Where do you 
find in the Scripture a ground to warrant such, 
an assertion, that preaching is exclusively your 
function? Though an approbation from men 
hath order in it, and may do well, yet he that 
hath no better warrant than that hath none at 
all. I hope He that ascended up on high may 
give his gifts to whom he pleases ; and if those 
gifts be the seal of mission, be not you envious 
though Eldad and Medad prophesy. You know 
who bids us co'Det earnestly the lest gifts, but 
chiefly that we may prophesy / which the apostle 
explains there to be a speaking to instruction, 
and edification and comfort ; which speaking, the 
instructed, the edified, and comforted can best 
tell the energy and effect of. If such evidence 
be, I say again, take heed you envy not for 
your own sakes, lest you be guilty of a greater 
fault than Moses reproved in Joshua for envy- 
ing for his sake. 

10 



/ 152 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

"Indeed you err through mistaking of the 
Scriptures, Approbation* is an act of con- 
veniencj in respect of order ; not of necessity, 
to give faculty to preach the GospeL Your 
pretended fear lest error should step in, is 
like the man who would keep all the wine out 
of the country lest men should be drunk. It 
will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to 
deprive a man of his natural liberty upon a 
supposition he may abuse it. When he doth 
abuse it,, judge. If a man speak foolisUy, ye 
suffer him gladly because ye are wise ; if erro- 
neously, the truth more appears by your con- 
viction of him. Stop such a man's mouth by 
sound words which cannot be gainsaid. If 
he speak blasphemously, or to the disturbance 
of the public peace, let the civil magistrate 
punish him ; if truly, rejoice in the truth. 
And if you will call our speakings together 
since we came into Scotland, to provoke one 
another to love and good works, to faith in our 
Lord Jesus Christ and repentance from dead 
works, and to charity and love toward you, to 
pray and mourn for you, and for your bitter 
returns to ' our love of you,' and your in- 

* License to preach the Gospel. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 153 

credulity of our professions of love to you, 
of the truth of which we have made our solemn 
and humble appeals to the Lord our God, which 
he hath heard and borne witness to — if you 
will call these things scandalous to the Kirk, 
and against the Covenant, because done by men 
of civil callings, we rejoice in them notwith- 
standing what you say." * 



CHAPTEK XXXI. 

Edinburgh Castle summoned to Surrender — Hume Castle — 
Moss-troopers — Sickness of Cromwell — Letter to his Wife 
— Letter to the President of the Council — Another Letter 
to his Wife — Letter to Mr. Mayor, 

On the 12th of December Cromwell summons 
Edinburgh Castle, the governor, soldiers, preach- 
ers, stores, and all, to surrender to his forces. 
This, after considerable correspondence, was 
done with great reluctance. 

After this, during the winter, there seems to 
have been not many military movements, Crom- 
well making his head-quarters at Edinburgh. 
Hume Castle is summoned to surrender in Feb- 
ruary, to which the governor of the castle re- 

* Letters, i, pp. 484, 485. 



154 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

plies : " I know not Cromwell ; and as for mj 
castle, it is built upon a rock." The guns 
played upon the fortress, while the redoubtable 
governor, instead of yielding, sends back the 
following note : 

"I, WUiiam of the Wastle, 
Am now in my castle ; 
And aw the dogs in the town 
Shanna gar me gang down." 

" So that there remained nothing but open- 
ing the mortars upon this William of the 
Wastle, which did gar him gang down, more 
fool than he went up." * 

There seems to have been also, in the course 
of this winter, some skirmishes with "moss- 
troopers," a class nearly or quite identical with 
modern guerrillas. 

Toward the close of the winter, Cromwell, 
from overmuch exposure, was seized with a 
dangerous illness, from which he did not fully 
recover till the following summer. One or two 
letters, written aniid, these days, are not with- 
out interest. 

To his wife he writes, under date of April 
12, 1651, as follows : 

* Letters, i, pp. 513, 514. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 155 

"My Dearest: I praise the Lord I am in- 
creased in strength in my outward man. But 
that will not satisfy me except I get a heart to 
love and serve my heavenly Father better, 
and get more of the light of his countenance, 
which is better than life, and mo'lre power over 
my corruptions ; in these hopes I wait, and am 
not without expectation of a gracious return. 
Pray for me ; truly I do daily for thee, and the 
dear family ; and God Almighty bless you with 
all his spiritual blessings. 

" Mind poor Betty of the Lord's great mercy. 
O, I desire her not only to seek the Lord in her 
necessity, but in deed and in truth to turn to 
the Lord ; and to keep close to him ; and to 
take heed of a departing heart, and of being 
cozened with worldly vanities and worldly 
company, which I doubt she is too subject 
to. I earnestly and frequently pray for her, 
and for him. Truly they are dear to me, very 
dear ; and I am in fear lest Satan should 
deceive them, knowing how weak our hearts 
are, and how subtile the adversary is, and what 
way the deceitfulness of our hearts and the 
vain world make for his temptations. The 
Lord give them truth of heart to him. Let 



156 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

them seek Mm in truth, and they shall find 
him. 

" My love to the dear little ones ; I pray for 
grace for them. I thank them for their letters ; 
let me have them often. 

"Beware of my Lord Herbert's resort to 
your honse. If he do so it may occasion 
scandal, as if I were bargaining with him. 
Indeed be wise ; you know my meaning. 
Mind Sir Henry Yane of the business of my 
estate. Mr. Floyd knows my whole mind in 
that matter. 

" If Dick Cromwell and his wife be with 
you, my dear love to tKem. I pray for them ; 
they shall, God willing, hear from me. I love 
them very dearly. Truly I am not able, as 
yet, to write much ; I am weary, and rest thine,' 

" Oliver Cromwell." 

A few days previous to penning the above 
letter to his wife he thus addresses the president 
of the Council of State : 

" My Lord : I do with all humble thankful- 
ness acknowledge your high favor and tender 
respect of me, expressed in your letter; and 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 157 

the express sent tlierewitli to inquire after one 
so nnwortliy as myself. 

" Indeed, my lord, your service needs not 
me ; I am a poor creature, and liave been a 
dry bone, and am still an unprofitable servant 
to my Master and you. I thought I should 
have died of this fit of sickness ; but the Lord 
seemeth to dispose otherwise. But truly, my 
lord, I desire not to live unless I may obtain 
mercy from the Lord to approve my heart and 
life to him in more faithfulness and thankful- 
ness, and to those I serve in more profitable- 
ness and diligence. 

" And I pray God your lordship, and all in 
public trust, may improve all those unparal- 
leled experiences of the Lord's wonderful work- 
ings in your sight with singleness of heart to 
his glory, and the refreshment of his people, 
who are to him as the apple of his eye; and 
upon whom your enemies, both former and 
latter, who have fallen before you, did split 
themselves. 

"This shall be the unfeigned prayer of, my 
lord, 

" Your most humble servant, 

" Oliver Cromwell." 
1 



158 LIFE OF OLIYER CEOMWELL. 

On the Sd of May lie addresses another 
brief note to his wife, as follows : 

" Mt Deakest : I could not satisfy myself 
to omit this post, although I have not much to 
write ; yet, indeed, I love to write to my dear, 
who is very much in my heart. It joys me to 
hear thy soul prospereth ; the Lord increase his 
favors to thee more and more. The greatest 
good thy soul can wish is, that the Lord lift 
upon thee the light of his countenance, which 
is better than life. The Lord bless all thy good 
counsel and example to all those about thee, and 
hear all thy prayers, and accept thee always ! 

" I ajn glad to hear thy son and daughter 
are with thee. I hope thou wilt have some 
good opportunity of good advice to him. Pre- 
sent my duty to my mother, my love to all the 
family. Still pray for thine, 

" Oliyek Ceomwell." 

Indeed, the interest of his son Kichard, to 
whom he alludes in the preceding letter, seems 
to lie very near the father's heart. Some time 
afterward he thus writes to Mr. Mayor : 

" I desire your faithfulness to advise him to 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 159 

approve liimself to tlie Lord in liis course of 
life; and to searcli his statutes for a rule to 
conscience, and to seek grace from Christ to 
enable him to walk therein. This hath life in 
it, and will come to somewhat ; what is a poor 
creature without this? This will not abridge 
of lawful pleasures ; but teach such a use of 
them as will have the peace of a good con- 
science going along with it. Sir, I write what 
is in my heart ; I pray you communicate my 
mind herein to my son, and be his remem- 
brancer in these things. Truly I love him, he 
is dear to me ; so is his wife ; and for their sakes 
do I thus write. They shall not want comfort 
nor encouragement from me, so far as I may 
afford it. . . . Sir, I beseech you believe I here 
say not this to save my purse ; for I shall will- 
ingly do what is convenient to satisfy his occa- 
sions, as I have opportunity. But as I pray he 
may not walk in a course not pleasing to the 
Lord, so I think it lieth upon me to give him, 
in love, the best counsel I may ; and know not 
how better to convey it to him than by so good 
a hand as yours. Sir, 1 pray you acquaint him 
with these thoughts of mine." * 

"Letters, i, 542. 



160 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 



CHAPTER XXXII. , 

Battle and Victory of Inverkeithing — Other Victories — 
King and Scotch suddenly enter England — Cromwell in 
hot pursuit — Battle of Worcester — Great and decisive 
Victory — Cromwell's Report — Great Rejoicings — The 
last Battle — Scotland — Bishop Burnet — Other His- 
torians. 

Another important battle and victory occurred 
about the middle of July, remembered afterward 
as the battle of Inverkeitbing. Cromwell re- 
porting this fight to parliament, writes : 

" They (his forces) came to a close charge 
and in the end totally routed the enemy, having 
taken about forty or fifty colors, killed near two 
thousand, some say more ; have taken Sir John 
Brown, their major-general, who commanded 
in chief, and other colonels, and considerable 
officers killed and taken, and about five or six 
hundred prisoners. The enemy is removed 
from their ground with their whole army ; but 
whither we do not certainly know. 

" This is an unspeakable mercy. I trust the 
Lord will follow it until he have perfected peace 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 161 

and truth. We can truly say we were gone as 
far as we conld in our counsel and action ; and 
we did say one to another, We know not what 
to do. Wherefore, it's sealed upon our hearts, 
that this, as all the rest, is from the Lord's 
goodness, and not from man. I hope it he- 
cometh me to pray, that we may walk humbly 
and self-denyingly before the Lord, and believ- 
ingly also ; that you whom we serve, as the 
authority over us, may do the work committed 
to you with uprightness and faithfulness, and 
thoroughly as to the Lord ; that you may not 
suffer anything to remain that offends the eyes 
of his jealousy ; that common weal may more 
and more be sought, and justice done impar- 
tially. For the eyes of the Lord run to and 
fro ; and as he finds out his enemies here, to be 
avenged on them, so will he not spare them for 
whom he doth good, if by his loving-kindness 
they become not good. I shall take the humble 
boldness to represent this engagement of Da- 
vid's, in the hundred and nineteenth Psalm, 
verse hundred and thirty-fourth, 'Deliver me 
from the oppression of man, so will I keep thy 
precepts.' " 

Other victories followed in rapid succession, 



162 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

until tlie Scotch, both king and army, finding 
their supplies cut off, break up suddenly from 
Stirling, and march straight into England, de- 
termined to strike directly at the heart of the 
commonwealth itself. Cromwell follows in hot 
pursuit, and comes up with the Scotch army at 
Worcester, where Charles's standard had been 
erected. 

This was August 28 ; and on the 3d of Sep- 
tember, the anniversary of the battle of Dun- 
bar, occurred the great and decisive battle of 
Worcester. 

One or two extracts from Cromwell's report 
to parliament will present a sujficient view of 
this fight. 

"This battle," he writes, "was fought with 
various success for some hours, but still hopeful 
on your part ; and, in the end, became an abso- 
lute victory; and so full an one as proved a 
total defeat and ruin of the enemy's army; 
and a possession of the town, our men entering 
at the enemy's heels, and fighting with them in 
the streets with very great courage. We took 
all their baggage and artillery. What the 
slain are I can give you no account, because 
we have not taken an exact view ; but they are 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 163 

very many ; and must needs be so, because tbe 
dispute was long and very near at hand ; and 
often at push of pike, and from one defense to 
another. There are about six or seven thou- 
sand prisoners taken here; and many officers 
and noblemen of quality. . . . Their army was 
about sixteen thousand strong, and fought ours 
on Worcester side of Severn almost with their 
whole force, while we had engaged half our 
army on the other side but with parties of 
theirs. Indeed it was a stiff business; yet I 
do not think we have lost two hundred men. 
. . . The dimensions of this mercy are above 
my thoughts. It is, for aught I know, a crown- 
ing mercy. Surely, if it be not, such a one we 
shall have, if this provoke those who are con- 
cerned in it to thankfulness ; and the parlia- 
ment to do the will of Him who hath done his 
will for it and for the nation; whose good 
pleasure it is to establish the nation and the 
change of the government, by making the 
people so willing to the defense thereof, and so 
signally blessing the endeavors of your servants 
in this late great work. I am bold humbly to 
beg that all thoughts may tend to the promoting 
His honor who hath wrought so great salvation ; 



164 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

and that tlie fatness of these continued mer- 
cies may not occasion pride and wantonness, 
as formerly the like hath done to a chosen 
nation;'^ but that the fear of the Lord, even 
for his mercies, may keep an authority and 
a people so prospered and blessed and wit- 
nessed unto,, humble and faithful ; and that 
justice and righteousness, mercy and truth, 
may flow from you as a thankful return to our 
gracious God. This shall be the prayer of, sir, 
" Your most humble and obedient servant, 
"Oliver Cromwell." 

On the following Sabbath, by order of parlia- 
ment, the report was read from all the London 
pulpits with general rejoicings and thanksgiv- 
ings. On the succeeding Friday, September 
12, Lord General Cromwell came to London; 
came "in very great solemnity and triumph; 
speaker and parliament and council of state, 
sheriffs, mayors, and an innumerable multitude 
of quality and not of quality — all were in attend- 
ance and splitting the welkin with their human 
shoutings, and volleys of great shot and small ; 
in the midst of which Lord General Cromwell 

* " Jeshurim waxed fat, and kicked." Deut. xxxii, 15. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 165 

carried himself with much affability. And now 
. and afterward, in all his discourses about Wor- 
cester, would seldom mention anything of 
himself; mentioned others only, and gave, as 
was due, the glory of the action unto God." 

^' This, then," adds Carlyle, '' is the last of 
my lord general's victories, technically so called. 
Of course, his life, to the very end of it, con- 
tinues as from the beginning it had always 
been, a hattle^ and a dangerous and strenuous 
one, with due modicum of victory assigned now 
and then ; but it will be with other than steel 
weapons henceforth. He here sheaths his war.- 
sword ; with that it is not his order from the 
great Captain that he fight any more." ^ 

Meanwhile, Lieutenant-General Monk soon 
closed up matters in Scotland; and that coun- 
try, as well as Ireland, came under the admin- 
istration of Cromwell ; and such were the wis- 
dom and moderation with which affairs were 
settled there that, according to Bishop Burnet, 
" there was good justice done, and vice was sup- 
pressed and punished ; so that we always reckon 
these eight years of usurpation a time of great 
peace and prosperity." f 

* Letters, i, pp. 556, 551. f " Cromwell's Administration." 



166 LIFE OF OLIVEE CKOMWELL. 

Dr. Huntingdon, the historian of the Scottish 
Church, also testifies' that ''throughout the 
whole of Scotland, during the period of Crom- 
well's domination, there prevailed a degree of 
civil peace beyond what had almost ever before 
been experienced." 

Another Scotch historian, writing of the same 
period, still further testifies : " I verilj believe 
there were more souls converted to Christ in 
that short period of time than in any season 
since the Keformation, though of triple its 
duration." 



CHAPTEE XXXIIL 

Cromwell to Rev. John Cotton of New England — Death 
of his Son-in-law, Ire ton — Letter of Cromwell to his 
Daughter, 

An interesting letter is preserved of Cromwell's, 
written to the famous Rev. John Cotton of 'New 
England. It appears to have been written about 
a fortnight after his return home, and was ad- 
dressed to "My esteemed friend, Mr. Cotton, 
pastor of the Church at Boston, in New En- 
gland." 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 16T 

There is a Mud of special interest in the 
thought that Oliver Cromwell, at the height of 
his renown, and onlj thirty-one years after the 
landing of the Pilgrims, directs, for an hour, his 
clear eye over the sea, and speaks to one of the 
ISTew England Puritans, and speaks such words 
as these : 

London, M October^ 165L 

" Worthy Sir, and my Christian Friend : 
I received yours a few days since. It was wel- 
come to me because signed by you, whom I love 
and honor in the Lord ; but more so to see some 
of the same grounds of our actings stirring in 
you that are in us, to quiet us in our work, and 
support us therein ; which hath had great diffi- 
culty in Scotland, by reason we have had to do 
with some who were, I very think, godly, but 
through weakness and subtilty of Satan were 
involved against the interests of the Lord and 
his people. 

" With what tenderness we have proceeded 

with such, and that in sincerity, our papers 

(which I suppose you have seen) will, in part, 

manifest ; and I give you some comfortable 

assurance of the same. The Lord hath marvel- 

ously appeared even against tliem. And now, 

11 



168 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

again, when all the power was devolved into the 
Scottish king and the malignant party — they 
invading England — the Lord rained upon them 
such snares, as the inclosed will show. Only 
the narrative is short in this, that of their whole 
army, when the narrative was framed, not "Rve 
men had returned. 

" Surely, sii", the Lord is greatly to be feared 
and to be praised I We need your prayers in 
this as much as ever. How shall we behave 
ourselves after such mercies? What is the 
Lord a-doing? What prophecies are now 
fulfilling? Who is a God like ours? To 
know his will, to do his will, are both of 
him. * 

" I took this liberty from business to salute 
you thus in a word. Truly I am ready to serve 
you, and the rest of your brethren and Churches 
with you. I am a poor weak creature, and not 
v/orthy the name of a worm ; yet accepted to 
serve the Lord and his people, indeed, my 
dear friend, between you and me, you know 
not me — my weakness, my inordinate passions, 
my unskillful n ess, and every way unfitness to my 
work. Yet, yet the Lord, who will have mercy 
on whom he will, does as you see ! Pray for 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 169 

me. Salute all Christian friends, though un- 
known. 

" I rest, your affectionate friend to serve you, 
" Oliver Cromwell." 

Two months after the date of the above 
letter, a heavy shadow darkens the house of 
Cromwell. His son-in-law, Ireton, whom he 
had left as his deputy in Ireland, suddenly died 
there. He had married Bridget Cromwell 
about five years before, who was now, at the 
early age of twenty-seven, left a widow. Alas, 
for the early perishing of earthly hopes ! And, 
with such a view, how rational are such senti- 
ments as follow, penned to her, a few months 
after her marriage, by her honored father : 

"London, 25th Ododer, 1646. 

" Dear Daughter : I write not to thy hus- 
band ; partly to avoid trouble, for one line of 
mine begets many of his, which I doubt not 
makes him sit up too late ; partly because I am 
myself indisposed^ at this time, having some 
other considerations, 
' " Your friends at Ely are well ; your sister 

* Xot in a mood to write. 



170 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

Clajpole is, I trust in mercj, exercised with, 
some perplexed thouglits. She sees her own- 
vanity and carnal mind — bewailing it; she 
seeks after (as I hope also) what will satisfy; 
and thus to be a seeker is to be of the best sect 
next to a finder ; and such, a one shall every 
faithful, humble seeker be at the end. Happy 
seeker, happy finder ! Who ever tasted that 
the Ldrd is gracious without some sense of self- 
vanity and badness? Who ever tasted that 
graciousness of his, and could go less in desire, 
less than pressing after full enjoyment? Dear 
heart, press on ; let not husband — let not any- 
thing cool thy affections after Christ. I hope 
he will be an occasion to inflame them. That 
which is best worthy of love in thy husband is 
that of the image of Christ he bears. Look on 
that and love it best, and all the rest for that. 
I pray for thee and hira ; do so for me. Thy 
dear father." 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 171 



CHAPTER XXXIY. 

Ireland and Scotland — England — Rump Parliament unpop- 
ular — Urged to dissolve Itself — Refu'ses — Attempts pass- 
ing a Bill to perpetuate Itself — The News reported to 
Cromwell — He forcibly dissolves the Parliament — Dis- 
misses the Council of State. 

"We have seen tliat the English arms, under the 
generalship of Cromwell, had been successful 
in Ireland and Scotland; and affairs in those 
countries seemed to be in a way of prosperous 
settlement. At the same time, matters in En- 
gland were in a condition becoming more and 
more unsatisfactory to the people. The Hump 
Parliament, as it was nicknamed since the 
famous Pride's Purge, was daily growing more 
and more unpopular, and was attacked by 
every party. ]^or did it at all add to its good 
repute with the people, that it seemed in- 
clined to perpetuate itself indefinitely. On the 
other hand, the expressed wish coming in from 
all sides, as well of the people as of the army, 
urged the parliament to dissolve itself. This it 
persistently refused to do ; but at its sitting, on 



172 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

tlie 20tli of April, 1653, was in the act of pass- 
ing a bill for prolonging its own duration. 
Cromwell at the same hour was at his lodgings 
at Whitehall, with a council of officers. A 
message being brought to him of what was 
passing in parliament, he exclaimed with great 
excitement and indignation, " It is not honest ; 
yea, it is contrary to common honesty." He 
then hastened down to the House, followed by 
a company of musketeers, whom he left in the 
lobby. He entered the hall, and composedly 
seated himself in his usual place, listening 
attentively to the debate. His dress was a 
plain suit of black cloth, with gray worsted 
stockings, the ordinary costume of the Puritans. 
For about a quarter of an hour he sat still; 
but when the speaker was going to put the 
question, he whispered to Lieutenant-general 
Harrison, " This is the time, I must do it." . . . 
" After pausing for a minute, Cromwell arose, 
and, taking off his hat, addressed the members 
at first in laudatory terms. Gradually becom- 
ing warmer and more vehement, he charged 
them with injustice and self-interest, and then 
declared that he had come down to put an end 
to a power of which they had made such bad use. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 173 

He WP.S very excited, walking up and down, 
and occasionally stamping the floor with his 
feet. ' You are no parliament,' he said, ' I'll 
put an end to your sitting. Some of you are 
drunkards, (and he pointed to those whom he 
had in view ;) others live a corrupt and scandal- 
ous life, (and his eye glanced formidably upon 
them.) I say you are no parliament. Get 
you gone ! Give way to honester men ! ' And 
stamping his foot his musketeers rushed in and 
surrounded him, and presently the House was 
cleared. There was some blustering and pro- 
testing ; but not a man offered to draw his 
sword against Cromwell, or to make any resist- 
ance, but all tamely departed' from the House. 
The doors w^ere then locked, and Cromwell, 
with the keys in his pocket, returned to White- 
hall. Arriving, he told the council of officers, 
still assembled there, what he had done, and 
added : ' When I went to the House I did not 
think to have done this ; but perceiving the 
Spirit of God strong upon me, I wotild no 
longer consult flesh and blood.' " 

On the afternoon of the same memorable 
day he dismissed also the Council of State. 
Proceeding to Derby Plouse, where they were 



174 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

assembled, he said to them as he entered, 
'■' Gentlemen, if you are met here as private 
persons you shall not be disturbed ; but if as a 
council of state this is no place for you ; and, 
since you cannot but know what was done at 
the House in the morning, so take notice that 
the parliament is dissolved." After a few words 
they all arose and departed, " perceiving them- 
selves to be under the same violence." 

Thus expired — expired by violence — the fa- 
mous Long Parliament. " Such," says Carlyle, 
'• was the destructive wrath of my Lord-general 
Cromwell against the national Eump Parlia- 
ment of England. "Wrath which innumerable 
mortals since have accounted extremely dia- 
bolic, which some now begin to account partly 
divine. Divine or diabolic, it is an indisputable 
fact, left for the commentaries of men. The 
Kump Parliament has gone its ways ; and 
truly, except it be in their own, I know not in 
what eyes are tears at their departure. They 
went very softly, softly as a dream, say all wit- 
nesses. ' We did not hear a dog bark at their 
going,' asserts my lord-general elsewhere." ^ 

* Letters, ii, 28, 29. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 175 



\ 



CHAPTER XXXy. 

Cromwell issues an Explanation — He nominates a new Par- 
liament — It assembles July 4, 1653 — G-rave Inquiries — 
Cromwell's Views of the Situation — Fanatical Element 
— He claims Inspiration — Apology for his Extraordinary 
Conduct. 

A DECLARATION was immediately issued by 
Cromwell and his advisers, setting forth the 
grounds and reasons for dissolving the parlia- 
ment. Dilatoriness, wavering, selfishness, cor- 
ruption, and mutual jealousies were alleged 
against the members, who could never ''answer 
those ends which Cod, and his people, and the 
whole nation expected from them. Hence, it 
seemed a duty incumbent upon those who had 
se'en so much of the power and presence of 
God to consider some effective means whereby 
to establish righteousness and peace in these 
nations." 

It was finally determined that the supreme 
government should be devolved upon ''known 
persons fearing God, and of approved integrity, 
for a time, as the most hopeful way to coun- 



176 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

tenance all God's people, reform tlie law, and 
administer justice impartially.'' 

Accordingly, on the 6tli of June, one hundred 
and fifty-six persons, from England, Ireland, 
Scotland, and Wales, were summoned by writ, 
simply under the authority of Cromwell, to 
meet in the Council Chamber at Whitehall, 
and to take upon them the trust of providing 
for the future government." 

On the 4th of July following, one hundred 
and twenty of these persons, of Cromwell's own 
selection, assembled at the place appointed. 

The thoughtful young reader will inquire, 
" What of all this ? Were these extraordinary 
proceedings justifiable and right ? In violently 
breaking up the parliament, and in assuming 
to appoint another in its place, did he act the 
part of a good and righteous man ? " 

Unhesitatingly we reply that we think not. 
High-handed measures these, and to be justified 
only in the most extreme cases. But it must 
be remembered that Cromwell really supposed 
such extremities had arisen. He seems to have 
judged that the country would be lost unless he 
should violently and, as we may say, lawlessly 
interfere. That such was his deep cgnviction 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 177 

there can be no reasonable doubt ; and in 
judging his conduct we should allow him the 
benefit of such an impression. 

We have here further evidence that a degree 
of fanaticism was mixed np with the sincere 
and ardent piety by which Cromwell seemed to 
be ever actuated. It is qnite observable that 
he often took it for granted that the voice of 
God spoke directly to him, and urged him 
onward. In the act of breaking np the parlia- 
ment, and as the paramount reason for his con- 
duct in this matter, he perceived (as he thonght) 
" the Spirit of God strong upon him, and he 
would no longer consult flesh and blood," 
Here was as decided a claim to inspiration as 
was maintained for himself by the Apostle Paul. 
And while very few of us are ready to yield to 
Cromwell this high claim, yet his own views 
of this matter, associated with the sublime piety 
which seems to have been constant with him as 
the vestal flame, should have the efl'ect to miti- 
gate, to a very considerable extent, onr disap- 
probation of the man and his acts. That in 
the honesty and piety of his heart he " verily 
thonght he ought to do " as he did, and that to 
his dying hour he never came to think difler- 



178 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

entlj, are facts which we think have never been 
disproved, and never can be. It was his idea 
— clear to him as if written on the sky — that 
he had an extraordinary call to interfere vio- 
lently, and without 'law, for the great cause of 
civil and religious liberty, and the safety and 
welfare of his country. This conviction was 
inwrought into the man, and inseparable from 
him, and is the key to his whole extraordinary 
career. 

Thus viewing and interpreting Oliver Crom- 
well, let us still follow him as he advances to 
accomplish his remarkable destiny. 



CHAPTEE XXXYL 

The " Little Parliament " — " Barebone " — Cromwell's Speech 
to the Parliament — Descants on various Topics — Title 
adopted by the Parliament — Council of State reappointed 
— Result unsatisfactory and unsuccessful — Parliament re- 
signed after five Months' Session. 

It is said that only two out of all that were 
summoned to compose this "Assembly of ]^ota- 
bles " failed to attend. It met, as we have seen, 
July 4, 1653, and bears the name of the "Little 



= LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 179 

Parliament." It was also nicknamed "Bare- 
bone's Parliament," from the circumstance that 
one of its members had the name of Praisegod 
Barebone, a leather merchant of London. 

All being assembled in the Council Chamber 
in Whitehall, and seated in chairs provided for 
them, his Excellency Lord-General Cromwell, 
accompanied by as many army officers as the 
room could contain, entered the hall and ad- 
dressed them in a grave and lengthy speech. 

In this speech he stated to the assembly the 
cause of their summons ; that they had a clear 
call to take upon them the supreme authority 
of the Commonwealth. He reminded them of 
the wonders of God's mercy, shown to himself in 
the battles he had fought from the besinninp; 
of the civil war " down to the marvelous salva- 
tion wrought at Worcester." He insisted that 
he and his friends had been eminently and visi- 
bly protected by the special providences of the 
Almighty, and alleged that their enemies them- 
selves had many times confessed that God was 
engaged against them. He explained his action 
in the dissolution of the Long Parliament; that 
such dissolution was as necessary as the pres- 
ervation of the country ; and he urged it upon 



180 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

those before Mm that God had called them to 
the work of the government by as wonderful 
providences as ever passed upon the sons of 
men, and that he meant to be a servant to 
them who were called to the exercise of the 
supreme authority. 

He dwelt much upon the religious interests 
of the people, beseeching the new parliament 
to have a care of the whole flock of Christ, to 
countenance all in whatever was good; to pro- 
tect all, even the meanest and poorest, who 
aimed to lead a godly life; to lend their en- 
deavors to the promotion of the Gospel ; to 
encourage the ministry, especially such as were 
faithful in the land. He expressed little regard 
for what was termed succession in the ministry. 
" The true succession " he says, " is through the 
Spirit given in its measure. The Spirit is given 
for that use to make proper speakers-forth of 
God's eternal truth ; and that is right succes- 
sion." He counts it one of the great issues of 
all the wars and trials of the nation, that now 
the people of God are called to the supreme 
authority; and tells them that he had not al- 
lowed himself in the choice of a single one of 
them in whom he had not the good hope that 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 181 

there was in him a faith in Jesus Christ, and 
love to all his people and saints. 

" What a parliament 1 " exclaims Carlyle, 
" unexampled before and since in this world ! " 

Many other things were uttered in this long 
speech, which must have occupied one or two 
hours in the delivery. 

The assembly adopted for themselves the 
name of " The Parliament of the Common- 
weath of England ; " and after prayer, fasting, 
and preaching, proceeded to business. They 
reappointed the late Council of State, of which 
Cromwell was the head. 

The result of this parliament was, on the 
whole, unsatisfactory and unsuccessful; and, 
after a sessicto of five months, they resigned to 
the lord-general the powers which he had 
intrusted to them, and returned to private life. 



182 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTER XXXYII. 

Establishment of the Protectorate — Cromwell Lord Protector 
— Inauguration — Imposing Ceremonies — Cromwell's per- 
sonal Appearance at this time. 

Immediately tlie Lord-General Cromwell called 
a council of officers, and certain other persons, 
and it was resolved that there should be a com- 
monwealth m a single person y and that this 
person should be Cromwell, under the title and 
dignity of Lord Protector of England, Scotland, 
and Ireland', to be advised and assisted by a 
council of godly, able, and discreet persons, to 
be not more than twenty-one. 

The inauguration of the lord protector was 
an imposing ceremony. On the 16th of Decem- 
ber he proceeded from Whitehall to the Chancery 
Court, attended by lords commissioners of the 
great seal of England, the barons of the Ex- 
chequer, and the judges all in their robes, the 
council of state, the lord mayor, aldermen, 
and recorder of the city of London, in their 
scarlet gowns, and many of the chief officers of 
the army. A chair of state was set in the midst 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 183 

of the Court of Chancery, and there Cromwell, 
in a plain suit of black velvet, stood on the left 
hand of the chair, uncovered, till a large writing 
in parchment was read, specifying the power 
with which he was to be invested, and the rules 
for governing the three nations. 

After the reading of the instrument of govern- 
ment he appended to it his signature, promising 
in the presence of God not to violate or infringe 
the matters and things therein contained. 

He then sat down in the chair of state, and 
the lords commissioners delivered to him the 
great seal of England, and the lord mayor his 
sword, and cap of maintenance. The court then 
rose, and the newly-installed protector went 
back in state to the Banqueting-house at White- 
hall, the lord mayor carrying the sword before 
him all the w^ay, the soldiers shouting, and the 
great guns firing. On the following day the lord 
protector was proclaimed by sound of trumpet 
in the palace yard, at Westminster, at the Royal 
Exchange, and other places in the city. '^■■ 

The personal appearance of Cromwell on this 
great occasion, and at this period of his life, aged 
fifty-four, is thus presented to us by Carlyle : 

* Yarious authors. 
12 



184 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. • 

" His highness was in a rich but plain suit ; 
black velvet, with cloak of the same ; about his 
hat a broad band of gold. Does the reader see 
him? A rather likely figure, I think. Stands 
some five feet ten, or more ; a man of strong, solid 
stature, and dignified, now partly military car- 
riage ; the expression of him valor and devout 
intelligence, energy and delicacy on a basis of 
simplicity. Fifty-four years old gone April 
last ; brown hair and mustache are getting 
gray. A figure of sufficient impressiveness ; 
not lovely to" the man-milliner, nor pretending 
to be so. Massive stature, big, massive head, 
of somewhat leonine aspect; wart above the 
right eyebrow ; nose of considerable blunt aqui- 
line proportions ; strict yet copious lips, full 
of all tremulous sensibilities, and also, if need 
were, of all fierceness and rigors ; deep, loving 
eyes, call them grave, call them stern, looking 
from those craggy brows as if in life-long sor- 
row, and yet not thinking it sorrow, thinking 
it only labor and endeavor; on the whole, a 
right noble lion-face and hero-face ; and to me 
royal enough." * 

* Letters, i, pp. 64, 65. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 185 



CHAPTEE XXXYIII. 

The Instrument of Government — Remark — The new Gov- 
ernment recognized by European Powers, 

The following is the main substance of the 
instrument of government which the lord pro- 
tector at his inauguration swore to administer : 
The instrument declared that the supreme 
legislative authority should be and reside in the 
lord protector and the people assembled in par- 
liament ; that all writs, processes, commissions, 
patents, etc., which then ran in the name and 
style of the keepers of the liberty of England, 
should run in the name and style of the lord 
protector ; from whom, for the future, should be 
derived all magistracy and honors, and all 
pardon, except in cases of murder and treason ; 
that he should govern in all things by the ad- 
vice of the council, and according to the present 
instrument and laws; that the militia and all 
forces both by sea and land should, during the 
sitting of parliament, be in his and their hands, 
but in the intervals of parliament in his and 



186 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

the council's only; that he and the council 
should have the power of making war and peace 
with foreign princes ; that the laws should not 
be altered, suspended, abrogated, or repealed, 
nor any new law made, nor any tax, charge, or 
imposition laid upon the people, except by com- 
mon consent in parliament; that a parliament 
should be called within six months, and after- 
ward every third year, and if need, often er, 
which the protector should not dissolve without 
its own consent till after &ve months; that 
the parliament should consist of four hundred 
English members, thirty Scotch members, and 
thirty Irish, to be chosen by equal distribution 
in counties and boroughs; that none that had 
borne arms against the parliament, no Irish 
rebels or papists, should be capable of being 
elected ; that none should be elected under the 
age of twenty-one years, or that were not per- 
sons of known integrity, fearing God and of 
good conversation ; that all persons seized or 
possessed of any estate, real or personal, to the 
value of £200, should have votes in county 
elections ; that sixty members should be deemed 
a quorum ; that bills offered to the protector, if 
not assented to by him within twenty days, 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 187 

should pass into and become law notwith- 
standing; that Philip Lord Yiscount Lisle, 
Charles Fleetwood, Esq., John Lambert, Esq., 
Sir Gilbert Pickering, baronet. Sir Charles 
"Wolsey, baronet. Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, 
baronet, Edward Montague, John Desborough, 
"Walter Strickland, Henry Lawrence, William 
Sydenham, Philip Jones, Pi chard Major, 
Francis Pouse, Philip Skipton, Esquires, or any 
seven of them, should be a council of govern- 
ment, with power in the lord protector and the 
majority of the council to add to their number; 
that a regular yearly revenue should be settled 
for the maintenance of ten thousand horse and 
fifteen thousand foot, and that the navy should 
not be altered or lessened but by advice of the 
council ; that the office of lord protector should 
be elective, and not hereditary, care being taken 
that none of the children of the late king, nor 
any of his line or family, should ever be elected ; 
that Oliver Cromwell, captain-general of the 
forces of England, Scotland, and Ireland, should 
be declared to be lord protector for life ; that 
all the great officers, as chancellor, keeper or 
commissioner of the great seal, treasurer, ad- 
miral, chief governors of Ireland and Scotland, 



188 LIFE OF OLIVER 'CROMWELL. 

and the chief justices of both the benches, should 
be chosen by approbation of parliament, and in 
the intervals of parliament by the majority of 
the council, whose choice was to be afterward 
approved by the parliament ; that the Christian 
religion, as contained in the Scriptures, should 
be held forth and recommended as the public 
profession of these nations ; that, as soon as 
might be, a provision less subject than tithes 
to scruple, and contention, and uncertainty, 
should be made for the encouragement and 
maintenance of able and painful teachers, and 
that, until such provision were made, the 
present maintenance should not be taken 
away or impeached ; that none should be com- 
pelled to consent to the public profession of 
faith by fines, or penalties, or otherwise, but that 
endeavors should be used to win them by per- 
suasion or example ; and that such as professed 
faith in God by Jesus Christ, though differing 
in judgment from the doctrine, worship, or dis- 
cipline publicly held forth, should not be re- 
strained from, but protected in the exercise of 
their religion, so that they did not quarrel and 
disturb others in the exercise of theirs, pro- 
vided that this liberty were not extended to 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 189 

Popery or Prelacy, or to such as under the pro- 
fession of Christ held forth and practiced licen- 
tiousness." * 

But slight exceptions can be taken with these 
provisions, save that relating to Popery and 
Prelacy. The great and true idea of universal 
toleration was not as yet matured. 

We merely add that the new government 
was at once recognized by the several courts of 
Europe. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

The New Parliament — Opened with great Pomp — The 
Protector's Speech — Important Suggestions. 

Writs for the new parliament were issued^ and 
the parliament assembled, as provided, Sept. 3, 
1654 It was the first election in England 
during fourteen years. The opening of the 
parliament was with great pomp and display. 
"The protector rode in state from Whitehall 
to the Abbey Church in Westminster. Some 
hundreds of gentlemen and officers went before 
him bare, with the life-guard ; and next before 

* Pictorial Historj-, iii, pp. 399, 400. 



190 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

the coach his pages and lackeys richly clothed. 
On the one side of his coach went Strickland, 
one of his council and captain of his guard, 
with the master of the ceremonies, both on foot. 
On the other side went Hpward, captain of the 
life-guard. In the coach with him were his 
son Henry, and Lambert ; both sat bare. Aft- 
er him came Claypole, master of the horse, 
with a gallant led horse richly trapped. ISText 
came the commissioners of the great seal, com- 
missioners of the treasury, and divers of the 
council in coaches ; last the ordinary guards. 

''' He alighting at the Abbey Church door 
and entering, the officers of the army and the 
gentlemen went first ; next them four maces ; 
then the commissioners of the seal, Whitlocke 
carrying the purse ; after him Lambert, carry- 
ing the sword bare; the rest followed. His 
highness was seated over against the pulpit, 
the members of the parliament on both sides. 

" After the sermon, which was preached by 
Mr. Thomas Goodwin, his highness went in the 
same equipage to the Painted Chamber, where 
he took his seat in a chair of state set upon 
steps, and the members upon benches round 
about — all bare. All being silent, his highness, 




House of Commons in Crcmwell's Tl 



me. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 193 

rising, put off his hat, and made a large and 
subtile speech to them." * 

Among other things, in this long speech, the 
protector warned the parliament against the 
anarchic principles of the Levelers and the 
Fifth Monarchy men ; that the common enemy 
was not sleeping ; that swarms of Jesuits were 
invading the country, and meddling with the 
affairs of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He 
commended the new government that had been 
instituted, asserting that it had endeavored to 
reform the laws, had appointed suitable persons 
to simplify and revise them, had been careful 
to place in the seats of justice men of the most 
known integrity and ability ; that the Chancery 
had been reformed, he hoped, to the satisfaction 
of all good men ; that appropriate commissions 
had been established for examining candidates 
for the ministry, and for dismissing such incum- 
bents as proved themselves unworthy of their 
office ; and that a free parliament had been 
called which, he hoped above his life, would be 
kept free. As he closed he said: "I persuade 
you to a sweet, gracious, and holy understand- 
ing of one another, and of your business. . . . 
* Whitlocke, quoted by Carljle. 



194: . LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

I liave not spoken these tMngs as one who 
assumes to himself dominion over you ; but as 
one who doth resolve to be a fellow-servant 
with you to the interest of these great affairs 
and of the people of these nations." 

" At this speech all generally seemed abund- 
antly to rejoice, by extraordinary expressions 
and hums at the conclusion — Hum-m-m ! His 
highness withdrew into the old House of Lords, 
and the members of parliament into the Parlia- 
ment House. His highness, so soon as the par- 
liament were gone to their House, went back 
to Whitehall privately in his barge by water." * 



CHAPTER XL. 

Parliament reveals a formidable Party opposed to the G-overn- 
ment — Opposition Speeches — A Summons to the Painted 
Chamber — Another Speech by Cromwell — Government 
not to be called in Question — A Pledge required of each 
Member — More than a Hundred decline the Pledge and 
retire. 

It immediately appeared that this parliament 
embraced a formidable number who were un- 
favorable to Cromwell and to the protectorate 

* Garlyle. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 195 

government, under whose auspices and author- 
ity they were elected and assembled. Ac- 
cordingly, their very first deliberations were 
upon the question of the government itself. 
One member declared that God had made him 
instrumental in cutting down tyranny in one 
person, (Charles I.,) and now he could not 
endure to see the nation's liberty ready to be 
shackled by another, (Cromwell,) whose right 
to the government could be measured out no 
other way than by the length of his sword. 
In the sam^e style were many speeches made, 
all in direct opposition to a single person. 

Thus aifairs proceeded in the parliament 
during eight days, when CromwelF summoned 
all the members before him in the "Painted 
Chamber," and again addressed them at length. 
He gave them to understand that the govern- 
ment by a single person and a parliament was 
a fundamental principle, fully established, and 
not subject to their discussion; that the "In- 
strument of Government " expressly provided 
that no parliamentary bills should contain any- 
thing in them contrary to the clauses of the 
said instrument ; that the same Instrument of 
Government that made them a- parliament 



196 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

made him a protector; tliat as they were in- 
structed with some things, so was he with 
others ; that these fundamentals could not be 
called in question; that the fundamentals were, 
1. That the government should be in one 
person and a parliament. 2. That parliament 
should not be made perpetual. 3. That the 
militia was not to be trusted to any one hand 
or power, but to be so disposed that the parlia- 
ment should have a check upon the protector, 
and the protector upon the parliament ; and, 
4. That in matters of religion there should be 
a due liberty of conscience, with bounds and 
limits set, so as to prevent persecution. All 
other points he assumed, then, were examina- 
ble and alterable as the occasion and the state 
of affairs might require ; that they were a free 
parliament so long as they recognized the 
government and authority that assembled them. 
' "Warming with his subject, the protector af- 
firmed, "I called not myself to this place. 1 
say again, I called not myself to this place ; of 
that God is witness. ... If my calling be from 
God, and my testimony from the people, God 
and the people shall take it from me, else I will 
not part with it." At the same time, he sol- 



LIFE OF, OLIVER CROMWELL. 197 

emnly assured them that the protectorship was 
not his own choice. " I say to yon," he con- 
tinues, " I hoped to have had leave to retire 
to private life. I begged to be dismissed of 
my charge ; I begged it again and again ; and 
God be judge between me and all men if I lie in 
this matter. That I lie not in matter of fact is 
known to very many ; but whether I tell a lie 
in my heart, as laboring to represent to you 
what was not upon my heart, I say, the Lord be 
judge! Let uncharitable men, who measure 
others by themselves, judge as they please ; as 
to the matter of fact, I say it is true. But I 
could not obtain what I desired, what my soul 
longed for." 

The protector concluded his address to the par- 
liament by requiring each one of them, before he 
should be admitted again into the Parliament 
House, to sign the following instrument : ^'^ I 
do hereby freely promise and engage myself 
to be true and faithful to the lord protector 
and the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, 
and Ireland ; and shall not (according to the 
tenor of the indenture whereby I am returned 
to serve in this present parliament) propose 
or give my consent to alter the government 



198 LIFE OF OLIVEE CKOMWELL. 

as it is settled in a single person and a parlia- 
ment." 

This pledge was placed on the table, near 
the door of the Parliament House, and a hundred 
or more signed it at once ; about three hund- 
red ultimately. The remainder, a hundred or 
more, utterly declined the test, and returned 
home. 



CHAPTER XLI. 

Opposition of Parliament persisted in — The Various Articles 
of the Instrument of Government canvassed — Religious 
Toleration discountenanced — No Communication with the 
Protector — Another Summons to the Painted Chamber — 
Protector's Speech — Parliament dissolved. 

The speech of the protector to the parliament, 
and the pledge of recognition of the govern- 
ment, seemed to have but little influence with 
them, and their main proceedings were a species 
of opposition measures. They at once voted 
that the recognition comprehended only that 
part of the Instrument of Government which 
concerned the government of the Common- 
wealth by a single person and successive parlia- 
ments. Thus they deemed themselves at liberty 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 199 

to deliberate upon all the other of the forty-two 
articles of the instrument; and, in committee of 
the whole, proceeded to canvass the whole of 
them, and to confirm or reject them as they 
saw fit. They began to trench seriously upon 
religious liberty, for the maintenance of which 
Cromwell was always so strenuous an advocate ; 
and, under Presbyterian influence, which was 
strong in the parliament, they voted that none 
should be tolerated who did not profess the 
fundamental doctrines of Christianity. Ac- 
cordingly they appointed a committee to draw 
up a catalogue of these doctrines; and by the 
sixteen fundamental articles reported by this 
committee. Deists, Socinians, Papists, Arians, 
Antinomians, and Quakers, all were excluded 
from toleration. And thus was about to be 
sacrificed one of the great and prominent ob- 
jects' for which so much blood and treasure had 
been devoted. 

During the five months within which the 
parliament could not be prorogued — in all this 
time they did much in doing nothing — they 
had not presented a single bill to the protector ; 
they had not honored him with the slightest 
communication; and they had not voted him 



200 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

a sixpence for meeting the expenses of the 
government. 

Hence, as soon as the ^ye months were 
ended, the protector again summoned the mem- 
bers of the parliament to the Painted Chamber, 
and addressed them in another lengthy speech. 
He told them he regretted that they should 
have lost so good an opportunity of establishing 
a national government ; that he had carefully 
declined to intrench npon their privileges ; 
that he had offered them no manner of inter- 
ruption or hinderance ; no injury, no indignity ; 
no vexing vs^ith messages or questionings. He 
assumed the liberty to tell them that he did not 
know what they had been doing ; that he did 
not know whether they had been alive or dead ; 
that he had not once heard from them during 
all their session, and they knew it well. He 
further proceeded to tell them what he had 
been doing, and what the enemies of the coun- 
try had been doing : that while they had been 
disputing, the enemies of the country had been 
at work ; that the Cavalier party had been de- 
signing and preparing to deluge again the 
nation with blood and confusion more desper- 
ate and dangerous than England ever yet saw. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 201 

He assured them the enemies of the state had 
confessed that they built their hopes upon the 
assurances they had of the parliament ; that 
they had given these enemies great advantages, 
by losing the precious moments in their power 
for effecting the happiness of the people. " You 
might," he tells them with terrible emphasis, 
"you might have settled peace and quietness 
among all professing godliness; you might 
have healed the breaches of these nations, and 
rendered them secure and well satisfied. You 
have done none of these things. But, instead 
of that,, you have been disputing about things 
already settled by the constitution. You have 
thus consumed all your time, and have done 
nothing." 

On the subject of civil liberty he hurls at 
them these rasping sentences : " Is there not 
yet upon the spirits of men a strange itch? 
J^othing will satisfy them unless they can press 
their finger upon their brethren's consciences, 
to pinch them there. To do this was no part 
of the contest we had with the common ad- 
versary. For, indeed, religion was not the 
thing at first contested for at all ; but God 

brought it to that issue at last, and gave it 

13 



202 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

unto US by way of redundancy ; and at last it 
proved to be that which was most dear to us. 
And wherein consisted this more than in obtain- 
ing that liberty from the tyranny of the bishops 
to all species of Protestants to worship God ac- 
cording to their own light and consciences? 
For want of which many of our brethren for- 
sook their native countries to seek their bread 
from strangers, and to live in howling wilder- 
nesses, [oicr poor brethren of New England!'] 
and for which also many that remained here were 
imprisoned and otherwise abused, and made the 
scorn of the nation. Those that were sound in 
the faith, how proper was it for them to labor ' 
for liberty, that men might not be trampled 
upon for their consciences ! Had not they 
' themselves ' labored, but lately, under the 
weight of persecution ? and was it fit for them 
to sit heavy upon others? Is it ingenuous to 
ask liberty and not to give it ? What greater 
hypocrisy than for those who were oppressed 
by the bishops to become the greatest oppressors 
themselves so soon as their yoke was removed? 
I could wish that they who call for liberty now 
also had not too much of that spirit if the 
power were in their hands ! " 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 203 

The protector closed by saying, " I think it 
my duty to tell you that it is not for the profit 
of these nations, not for common and pub- 
lic good, for you to continue here any longer. 
And therefore I do declare unto you that I do 
dissolve this parliament." 



CHAPTEE XLII. 

Extract from Carlyle — Death of Cromwell's Mother — " Good- 
Night 1" 

" So ends," writes Carlyle, "the first protectorate 
parliament, suddenly, very unsuccessfully. A 
most poor, hidebound, pedant parliament, which 
reckoned itself careful of the liberties of En- 
gland, and was careful only of the sheepskin 
formulas of these ; very blind to the realities 
of these. Regardless of the facts and clamorous 
necessities of the present, this parliament con- 
sidered that its one duty was to tie up the 
hands of the lord protector well ; to give him 
no supplies, no power ; to make him and keep 
him the bound vassal and errand-man of this 
and succeeding parliaments. This once well 
done, they thought all was done; Oliver 



204: LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

thought far otherwise. Their painful new- 
modeling and rebuilding of the instrument of 
government, with an eye to the sublime object, 
was pointing toward completion ; little now but 
the keystones to be let in, when Oliver sud- 
denly withdrew the centers ! Constitutional arch 
and ashler-stones, scaffolding, workmen, mortar- 
troughs, and scaffold poles, sink in swift con- 
fusion and disappear, regretted or remembered 
by no person — not by this editor for one. 

" By the arithmetical account of heads in 
England the lord protector may surmise that 
he has lost his enterprise. But by the real 
divine and human worth of thinking souls in 
England he still believes that he has it ; by 
this and by a higher mission too ; and ' will 
take a little pleasure to lose his life ' before he 
loses it ! He is not here altogether to count 
heads or to count costs, this lord protector ; he 
is in the breach of battle; placed there, as he 
understands, by his great Commander : whatso- 
ever his difficulties be, he must fight them, can- 
not quit them, must fight these till he die. That 
is the law of his position in the eye of God, and 
also of men. There is no return for him out 
of this protectorship he has got into. Called 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 205 

to this post as I have been, placed in it as I am, 
' to quit it, is what I will be willing to be rolled 
into my grave, and buried with infamy, before 
I wiir consent unto ! ' " * 

A month or two before, amid the closing days 
of that somber autumn, died the aged mother 
of Cromwell. A little before her death she 
gave him her blessing in these words : " ' The 
Lord cause his face to shine upon you, and 
comfort you in all your adversities ; and enable 
you to do great things for the glory of your 
most high God, and to be a relief unto his 
people. My dear son, I leave my heart with 
thee. A good-night ! ' and therewith sank into 
her long sleep. Mnety-four years old, the roy- 
alties of Whitehall, says Ludlow very credibly, 
of small moment to her ; ' at the sound of a 
musket she would often be afraid her son was 
shot, and could not be satisfied unless she 
saw him once a day at least.' She, old, weak, 
wearied one, she cannot help him with his re- 
fractory pedant parliaments, with his Anabaptist 
plotters, royalist assassins, and world-wide con- 
fusions ; but she bids him be strong, be com- 
forted in God. And so good-night ! " f 

* Letters, ii, pp. 157, 158. f L^^tters, i, 131. 



206 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



CHAPTEE XLIII. 

Plots in favor of Charles 11. — Hostility to Cromwell — Wild- 
mau — Insurrectionary attempts quelled — Foreign Rela- 
tions Prosperous — The* Englisla Fleets — Cromwell inter- 
terferes for the Persecuted Waldenses — G-overument of 
Major-G-enerals — Remarks of Carlyle. 

As the protector could have no assistance from 
the parliament, no sooner was this dismissed 
than he determined to seize upon whatever 
means were within his reach for the safety and 
prosperity of the country. Yarious parties were 
contending against the protector, and there was 
a conspiracy to bring in Charles Stuart and 
place him upon the throne. In a multitude 
of minds there seemed to be a bitter hostility 
to Cromwell ; and not a few who had no sym- 
pathy with monarchy, yet appeared to prefer 
almost anything to the authority of the pro- 
tector. One Wildman, who was of the parlia- 
ment members that refused to sign the recog- 
nition of the Protestant 2;overnment, was ar- 
rested and imprisoned. At the time of his 
arrest he was found in his chamber, leaning 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 207 

upon his elbow and dictating to his amanuensis, 
" The declaration of the free and well-affected 
people of England now in arms against the 
tyrant Oliver Cromwell." 

Other serious attempts at insurrection were 
made, but were all forestalled and quelled by 
the vigilance and prompt energy of Cromwell. 

Meanwhile, the foreign relations of England 
were at this time decidedly prosperous, and the 
Protestant government was greatly respected 
throughout Europe. " Spain and France, at war 
with each other, both courted the friendship 
of Cromwell, and neither of them spared any 
baseness of prostration to secure his alliance. He 
demanded of Spain that no Englishman should 
ever be subject to the Inquisition, and that the 
West Indies and South America should be 
thrown open to his flag, with a free trade to all 
English subjects. His fleets were formidable 
and victorious upon the seas, making conquests 
in the' West Indies, subduing the Barbary pi- 
rates in the Mediterranean, and exactin,o- indem- 
nities where England had been insulted. He 
also, pending a treaty between himself and the 
French king, compelled that monarch to in- 
terfere to restrain the Papal duke of Savoy 



208 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

from the persecutions wliicli he was inflicting 
npon the Protestant Waldenses within his 
dominions. 

Meanwhile at home, and as a temporary 
arrangement, he instituted a strong military 
government over England and Wales, dividing 
them into eleven districts, each presided over 
by a major-general, "who was authorized to 
exact payments of fines and forfeitures imposed 
on the royalists, to suppress tumults, and to 
secure obedience to the existing government." 
These officers, with the forces under their com- 
mand, " effectually put down insurrection, and 
established everywhere the indisputable author- 
ity of the protector." 

" A terrible protector this," says Carlyle ; 
" no getting of him overset ! He has the ring- 
leaders all in his hand, in prison or still at 
large ; as they love their estates and their life, 
let them be quiet. He can take your estate ; 
is there not proof enough to take your head, if 
he pleases ? He dislikes shiedding blood ; but' 
is very apt 'to harbadoes^ an unruly man ; has 
sent and sends us by hundreds to Barbadoes, so 
that we have made an active verb of it : Ear- 
badoes you. Safest to let this protector alone ! 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 209 

Charles Stuart withdraws from Middleburgli 
into the interior of obscurities ; and Mr. Hyde 
will not be so ' cock-sure ' another time." * 

Further on the same writer adds, '' It is in 
this way that Oliver Protector coerces the un- 
ruly elements of England ; says to them, 
' Peace, ye ! ' With the aid. of parliament and 
venerable parchment, if so may be ; without it, 
if so may not be, I, called hither by very good 
authority, will hold you down. Quiet shall 
you, for your part, keep yourselves '; or be ' bar- 
badosed,' and worse. Mark it ; not while I live 
shall you have dominion, you nor the master 
of you ! " 



CHAPTEE XLIY. 

Another Parliament — A long Address — Enemies of the 
State specified — Religious Toleration. 

We thus reach the autumn of 1656 ; and in 
September, 17th day, another parliament as- 
sembles. The usual preliminaries are observed. 
The protector and the members assemble to 
hear the sermon ; after which all adjourn to the 

* Letters, ii, pp. 1G4, 165. 



210 LIFE OF OLIVEE CROMWELL. 

" Painted Cliamber," wliere lie delivers to them 
a Ions: address. In this address he descants 
largely upon the enemies of the state, among 
which he reckons Spain especially; and speci- 
fies Papists, Cavaliers, Levelers, Commonwealth- 
men, Fifth Monarchy-men, etc., as among the 
dangerous enemies of the nation. He then 
proceeds to recommend certain remedies, and 
especially advises a vigorous prosecution of the 
war with Spain. He also takes occasion to pre- 
sent in this address his views of religious tolera- 
tion. So interesting are his remarks here that 
we cannot refrain from quoting a specimen or 
two. 

" Our practice since the last parliament hath 
been, to let all this nation see that, whatever 
pretensions to religion would continue quiet 
and peaceable, they should enjoy conscience 
and liberty to themselves, and not to make 
religion a pretense for arms and blood. Truly 
we have suffered them, and that cheerfully, so 
to enjoy their own liberties. Whatsoever is 
contrary, and not peaceable, let the pretense be 
never so specious, if it tend to combination, to 
interests and factions, we shall not care, by the 
grace of Gocl, whom we meet withal, though 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 211 

never so specious, if they be not quiet ! And 
truly I am against all liberty of conscience 
repugnant to this. If men will profess — be 
tliey those under baptism, be they those of 
the Independent judgment simply, or of the 
Presbyterian judgment, in the name of God 
encourage them, countenance them, so long as 
they do plainly continue to be thankful to God, 
and to make use of the liberty given them to 
enjoy their own consciences ! . . . Men who be- 
lieve in Jesus Christ ; that is the form that gives 
being to true religion, namely, to faith in 
'Christ, and walking in a profession answerable 
to that faith : men who believe the remission 
of sins through the blood of Christ, and free 
justification by the blood of Christ ; who live 
upon the grace of God ; those men who are cer- 
tain they are so, are members of Jesus Christ, 
and are to him the apple of his eye. Whoever 
hath this faith, let his form be what it will — 
he walking peaceably without prejudice to 
others under other forms — it is a debt due to 
God and Christ, and he will require it, if tli^t 
Christian may not enjoy his liberty. ... If a 
man of one form will be trampling upon the 
heels of another form ; if an Independent, for 



212 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

example, will despise him who is under Baptism, 
and will revile him, and reproach and provoke 
him, I will not suffer it in him. If, on the 
other side, those of the Anabaptist judgment 
shall be censuring the godlj ministers of the 
nation who profess under that of IndependeDcj ; 
or if those that profess under Presbytery shall 
be reproaching or speaking evil of them, tra- 
ducing and censuring of them — as I would not 
be willing to see the day when England shall be 
in the power of the Presbytery, to impose upon 
the consciences of others that profess faith in 
Christ — so I will not endure any reproach to 
them. But God give us hearts and spirits to 
keep things equal. Which, truly, I must profess 
to you, hath been my temper. I have had some 
boxes on the ear and rebukes — on the one" hand 
and on the other — some censuring me for Pres- 
bytery; others as an inletter to all the sects and 
heresies of the nation. I have borne my re- 
proach; but I have, through God's mercy, not 
been unhappy in permitting any one religion 
to impose upon another." * 

Such words were uttered more than two 
hundred years ago, when the true principles of 

* Letters, ii, pp. 23*7, 238. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 213 

religious toleration were understood but by few. 
Such a government and sucb a magistrate 
would never have compelled tlie pilgrim fa- 
thers to emigrate to America in order to obtain 
" freedom to worship God." 

Carlyle, commenting on this speech, remarks 
that "no royal speech like this was ever de- 
livered elsewhere in the world ! It is, witli all 
its prudence — and it is very prudent, sagacious, 
courteous, right royal in spirit — perhaps the 
most artless, transparent piece of public speak- 
ing this editor has ever studied. Rude, mass- 
ive, genuine ; lilie a rock of unbeaten gold. A 
speech not so fit for Drury Lane as for Valhalla 
and the sanhedrim of the gods. The man him- 
self, and the England he presided over there and 
then, are, to a singular degree, visible in it ; open 
to our eyes, to our sympathies. He who would 
see Oliver will find more of him here than in 
most of the history-books yet written about 
him."* 

* Letters, ii, p. 250. 



214 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



. CHAPTER XLY. 

Condition of Admission to Parliament — One Hundred ex- 
cluded — Apology for this Movement — Remarks of D'Au- 
bigne — An Order of the Parliament. 

The protector's address was finislied, and the 
members passed to the ParL'ament House ; when, 
lo ! no one was allowed to enter except such as 
received at the door a certificate that they were 
approved by "his highness's council." Thus, 
about one hundred out of four hundred mem- 
bers were excluded from the House. 

Here was another higli-handed measure of 
the protector, and one which all must acknowl- 
edge to be difficult to justify. Yet even in this 
strange transaction Cromwell should not be 
judged too hastily. We should throw ourselves 
as fully as possible into the circumstances that 
encompassed him. It was a dark and extreme- 
ly critical time for the country. There were 
many enemies of the protector and his govern- 
ment. There were divers plottings to overturn 
this whole government fabric, involve the land 
in confusion and bloodshed ; and, by enthroning 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 215 

Charles Stuart, to re-enact tyranny, persecntion, 
and war. The protector was thoronghly famil- 
iar with all these designs and movements. He 
also knew men. His penetration was nnequal- 
ed, and his knowledge of mankind unsurpassed. 
He discerned clearly who were his enemies, and 
the enemies of the public good ; and he deeply 
felt that the national welfare hung upon the 
success of his government. Moreover, he had 
had much experience of parliaments, and the 
evil which designing men were capable of ac- 
complishing there ; and he knew the char,acter . 
of the men who were excluded from this parlia- 
ment, and that everything was at stake, and he 
determined not to hesitate. He must again risb 
above all constitutions, precedents, or law, and 
save his country at all events and at every 
hazard. 

Such was the state of the case; and, being 
such, who is ready to strike down this great 
and sublime man as he stands in the breach, 
and decides and determines to save his country, 
and scatter and prostrate its enemies ? 

D'Aubigne, commenting upon this extraor- 
dinary act of Qromwell, judiciously remarks as 
follows : '' If we allow, as we are bound to do, 



216 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

tliat the measure employed by Cromwell was 
inconsistent with the freedom of parliament 
and with the principles of constitutional gov- 
ernment, we must also Acknowledge that these 
stretches of power were at that time necessary 
to the stability of his authority, and that with- 
out these somewhat despotic acts the nation 
would inevitably have been again involved in 
war and confusion. Above all, we should re- 
member that the necessary check upon repre- 
sentative governments — an Upper House — no 
longer existed in England. The right, there- 
fore, which he claimed, of rejecting a portion 
of the representatives, must, in his mind, have 
been intended to supply the want of a House of 
Lords. There was, therefore, a constitutional 
element in this measure of exclusion." * 

We merely add that one of the acts of this 
parliament was that, for the future, no member 
should be excluded from parliament except by 
vote of the House ; in which order the protector 
acquiesced. 

* Yinclication, p. 236. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CROMWELL. 217 



CHAPTER XLYI. 

Character of the Parliament — Supplies voted — Major-Gen- 
erals suppressed — James Naylor — Carlyle's Sarcasm. 

As the autumn and winter advanced, but few 
noticeable things seemed to have been accom- 
plished by this second protectorate parliament. 
It was an utterly different body of men from 
the preceding parliament. There was a general 
acquiescence in the existing government, and in 
the administration of Cromwell. Carlyle, in 
his own style, thus descants upon the state of 
affairs. 

" Since the first constitutioning parliament 
went its ways, here is a great change among 
us. Three years of successful experiment have 
thrown some light on Oliver and his mode of 
ruling to all Englishmen. What can a wise 
Puritan Englishman do but decide on comply- 
ing with Oliver ; on strengthening the hands 
of Oliver? Is he not verily doing the thing 
we all wanted to see done? The old parch- 
ments of the case may have been a little hustled, 

as indeed in a ten years' civil war, ending in the 

14 



218 LIFE OF OLIVER CKOMWELL. 

execution of a king, tliey conld hardly fail to be ; 
but the divine fact of the case, meseems, is well 
cared for ! Here is a governing man, nndenia- 
bly the most English of Englishmen, the most 
Puritan of Puritans — the pattern man, I must 
say, according to the model of that seventeenth 
century in England ; and a great man, denizen 
of all the centuries, or he could never have been 
the pattern one in that. Truly, my friends, I 
think you may go further and fare worse ! To 
the darkest head in England, even to the assas- 
sinative, truculent, flunky-head in steeple hat, 
worn brown, some light has shone out of these 
three years of government by Oliver, An un- 
common Oliver, even to the truculent fluuky. 
If not the noblest and worshipfulest of all En- 
glishmen, at least the strongest and terriblest, 
with whom, really, it might be as well to 
comply; with whom, in fact^ there is small 
hope in not complying ! " ^' 

The parliament cheerfully voted the neces- 
sary supplies ; suppressed, on hint of the pro- 
tector himself, the government of the major- 
generals ; and, among other matters, seems to 
have wasted considerable time in trying and 

* Letters ii, 261 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL., 219 

condemning a certain James Naylor^ a poor 
fanatic who had succeeded in bringing him- 
self into notice. By way of episode, we will 
listen as Carljle here launches upon the parlia- 
ment a little characteristic sarcasm. 

" Its (the parliament's) next grand feat was 
that of James ]^ajlor and his procession, which 
we saw at Bristol lately. Interminable debates 
about James ISTaylor ; excelling in stupor all the 
human speeches, even in English parliaments, 
this editor has ever been exposed to. J^ajdor, 
in fact, is almost all that survives with one, from 
Burton^ as the sum of what this parliament did. 
If they did aught else, the human mind, eager 
enough to carry off news of them, has mostly 
dropped it on the way hither. To posterity 
they sit there as the James N^aylor parliament. 
Four hundred gentlemen of England, and, I 
think, a sprinkling of lords among them, as- 
sembled from all counties and boroughs of the 
three nations, to sit in solemn debate on this 
terrific phenomenon — a mad Quaker fancying, 
or seeming to fancy, himself, what is not uncom- 
mon since, a new incarnation of Christ. Shall 
we hang him, shall we whip him, bore the 
tongue of him with hot iron ; shall we imprison 



220 LIFE OF OLIVEE CROMWELL. 

him, set hiin to oakum ; shall we roast, or boil, 
or stew him ; shall we put the question whether 
this question shall be put ; debate whether this 
shall be debated ; in Heaven's name what shall 
we do with him, the terrific phenomenon of 
ITaylor ? This is the history of Oliver's second 
parliament for three long months and odd. ISTo- 
where does the unfathomable deep of dullness 
which our English character has in it, more 
stupendously disclose itself. Something almost 
grand in it, nay, something really grand, though, 
in our impatience, we call it dull." . . . I^ot 
insignificant this English character, which can 
placidly debate such matters, and even feel a 
certain smack of delight in them ! A massive- 
nes^ of eupeptic vigor speaks itself there, which 
perhaps the liveliest wit might envy. Who is 
there that has the strength of ten oxen, that is 
able to support these things? Couldst thou 
debate on l^aylor day after day, for a whole 
winter ? Thou, if the sky were threatening to 
fall on account of it, would sink under such la- 
bor, appointed only for the oxen of the gods 1 
The honorable gentlemen set !Naylor to ride 
with his face to the tail, through various streets 
and cities ; to be whipped, (poor ITaylor,) to be 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 221 

branded, to be bored tbroiigh the tongue, and 
then to do oakum ad libitum upon bread and 
water ; after which he repented, confessed him- 
self mad, and this world-great phenomenon, 
visible to posterity and the west of England, 
was got winded up." * 

This parliament, however, did something 
more, connected with which occurs an im- 
portant era in the history of Cromwell, and 
out of which have come some of the most 
prominent misrepresentations of the aims and 
character of the man. 



CHAPTEK XLYII. 

The Kingship — Proposed to Cromwell — Agitation of the 
Matter in Parliament — Disturbance — "Petition and Ad- 
vice " — Protracted Debate — Army Officers opposed to the 
Kingship — Cromwell's response to them — The new In- 
strument matured in Parliament. 

The matter alkided to at the close of the pre- 
ceding chapter is that of the effort of this par- 
liament for inducing Cromwell to accept the 
title of king. 

='•■' Letters, ii, pp. 269, 2tO. 



222 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

On the 23d of February Sir Christopher 
Pack, a member from London, introduces a 
document entitled "A Humble Address and 
Remonstrance of the Knights, Burgesses, and 
Citizens assembled in Parliament." This paper 
set forth that, as the best way of settling the 
nation, the lord protector should be desired to 
assume the tit]e of king. He had scarcely said 
the words when the republican and military 
members forced him from his seat near the 
speaker down to the bar of the House. But 
Pack's friends sprang to his assistance, and, in 
spite of much tumult and violence, his paper 
was read to the House. It proposed, in ad- 
dition to the kingship, that the parliament 
should consist of two houses instead of one, as 
at present constituted. A long debate ensued, 
extending from February 23 to March 26, when 
the paper was in substance adopted, under the 
altered title of "The Humble Petition and 
Advice of the Parliament of England and Ire- 
land." At the close of the debate, the blank 
left for the title to be borDe by Cromwell was 
filled up with the word " king " by a majority 
of 123 against 62. 

As this long debate proceeded, there waited 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 223 

upon tlie protector a hundred army officers and 
persons of note, with a view of dissuading him 
from accepting the kingship, signifying to him 
that they contemplated the project under debate 
with dismay ; that it was a " scandal to the peo- 
ple of Grod," hazardous to his own person, and 
would be otherwise disastrous. 
' The protector responded with dignity, and 
some severity, that he now specifically heard 
of this project for the first time; that he 
had not been caballing about it, either for or 
a2:ainst it : that the matter need not startle 
them so much, inasmuch as some of them well 
knew that the kingship had been already offered 
to him and pressed upon him hy themselves, 
when he had undertaken the government in its 
then present form. He further told them that 
the title king was of as little value to him as to 
them ; that as to parliaments, at least, some 
reform was certainly needed ; that the little 
parliament, the first protectorate pat4iament, 
and the major-generalcies, had all proved fail- 
ures, and that the present parliament was nearly 
a failure ; that the House of Lords, as a check 
upon a single house of parliament, might be of 
real use ; that, in short, '' the Deputation of a 



224 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

Hundred Officers liad better go its ways and 
consider itself again." 

Meantime, the parliament is proceeding with 
great diligence in modeling and maturing the 
instrument of "Petition and Advice;" and, by 
the end of March, it is in a state of readiness, 
comprising eighteen carefully-constructed arti- 
cles engraved on vellum, and ready to be pre- 
sented to the protector, with the understanding 
that he is to adopt the whole document, or no 
part of it is to be binding. 



CHAPTER XLYHI. 

"Petition and Advice" presented to the Protector — He is 
invited to tlie Kiagship by the 'Parliament — Responds 
briefly — Asks for Time — Gives a further Answer — Not 
Decisive — Parliament Visits the Protector in a Body — 
Doubts and Scruples — Committee of Ninety-Nine — A long 
Conversation. 

On the 31st of March the speaker of the House 
and all the members went in a body to White- 
hall to present the "Petition and Advice" to 
the protector. After a speech by the speaker, 
setting forth the object of their visit, and in- 
viting him to take upon himself the title and 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 225 

office of king, and presenting several reasons 
for sucli a step, the protector responded, some- 
wliat briefly, that the proposal, including the 
frame of government offered to him, ought to 
beget in. himself the greatest reverence and 
fear of God that ever possessed a man in the 
world, and that the matter was of the greatest 
possible weight. " I have lived the latter part 
of my age in — if I may say so— the fire ; in the 
midst of troubles. But all the things that have 
befallen me since I was first engaged in the 
affairs of this Commonwealth, if they could be 
supposed to be all brought into such a com- 
pass that I could take a view of them at once, 
truly I do not think they would so move, nor 
do I think ought so to move, my heart and 
spirit with that fear and reverence of God that 
becomes a Christian, as this thing that hath 
now been offered by you to me ! And truly 
my comfort in all my life hath been that the 
burdens which have lain heavy on me, they 
were laid upon me by the hand of Cod. . . . 
And should I give any resolution in this matter 
suddenly, without seeking to have an answer 
put into my heart, and so into my mouth, by 
Him that hath been my God and my guide 



226 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

liitlierto, it would give you very little cause of 
comfort in such, a choice as you have made in 
such a business as this. ... I have, therefore, 
but this one word to say to you : that seeing 
you have made progress in this business, and 
completed the work on your part, I, on my 
side, may have some short time to ask counsel 
of God and of my own heart. . . . And truly I 
may say this also ; that as the thing will deserve 
deliberation, the utmost deliberation and con- 
sideration on my part, so I shall think myself 
bound to give as speedy an answer to these 
things as I can." 

Having deliberated upon so great a matter 
for three days, at the end of that time he noti- 
fied the parliament that if a committee from 
that body would wait upon him they should 
receive his answer to the "Petition and Ad- 
vice." A large committee accordingly attends 
upon his highness on that afternoon at three 
o'clock. 

In his address to this committee, the pro- 
tector submitted to them that he had, as well 
as he could, taken into consideration their im- 
portant proposal presented to him a few days 
before, and had sought of God that he might 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 227 

return sucb. an answer as might become him- 
self and be worthy of the parliament. He 
commended the parliament for their interest in 
secnring to the people religious and civil liberty ; 
two great interests which he declared were ever 
prominent in all his fightings and sufferings. 
In respect to the kingship, he fully acknowl- 
edged the exceedingly high honor and respect 
had for him in connection with this matter, for 
which honor and respect he should always keep 
a grateful memory in his heart, and for which, 
also, he, by the committee, returned to the par- 
liament his grateful acknowledgments. " But 
I must needs say," he adds, " that that may be 
fit for you to offer which may not be fit for me 
to undertake ; and as I should reckon it a very 
great presumption were I to ask the reason of 
your doing any one thing in this paper, so you 
will not take it unkindly if I beg of you this 
addition to the parliament's favor, love, and in- 
dulgence to me, that it be taken in tender part 
if I give such an answer as I. find in my heart 
to give in this business, without urging many 
reasons for it, save such as are most obvious and 
most to my advantage in answering ; namely, 
that I am not able for such a trust and charge. 



228 LIFE OF OLIVEK CROMWELL. 

. . . I must say I have been able to attain 
no further than this, that, seeing the way is 
hedged up so as it is to me, and I cannot accept 
the things offered unless I accept all, I have not 
been able to find it my duty to Grod and you to 
undertake this charge under that title. . . . 
This is all I have to say. I desire it may, and 
do not doubt but it will, be with candor and 
ingenuity * represented unto them by you." f 

The answer of the protector did not impress 
the minds of the committee and the parliament 
as entirely decisive ; and, accordingly, a few 
days after the above named interview of the 
committee with the protector, the parliament, 
having decided to adhere to the " Petition and 
Advice," went again in a body to confer with 
his highness. Concerning this conference there 
seems to be no reports except that it was not 
successful. The protector seems to have doubts 
and scruples, " on which, however, he is willing 
to be dealt with." 

With a view, therefore, of satisfying the 
scruples of Cromwell, a committee is im- 
mediately appointed to lay before him the 
entire argument for the great measure proposed. 

* Ingenuousness. f Letters, ii, pp. 279, 280. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 229 

This committee comprised ninety-nine persons, 
in chiding, of conrse, a large number of the 
ablest and most distinguished members of the 
parliamentary body. 

The first meeting of this committee with the 
protector was April 11, when a long conversa- 
tion ensued between himself and several mem- 
bers of the committee, winding up with no 
special result ; and another meeting was ap- 
pointed for the 13th. 



CHAPTEE XLIX. 

Another Conversation toucliing the Kingship — Reasoning of 
the Committee — The Protector's Answer — Adjournment. 

At the second visit of the Committee of I^inety- 
Nine to the protector, he, in a somewhat pro- 
tracted speech, reviewed the controversy be- 
tween the committee and himself on the subject 
of the kingship. The gist of the argument 
which had been urged upon Cromwell for 
assuming the title of king was, that this title 
appeared to be a necessity; that the kingship 
was not merely a title but an ofiice, and thus 
was so interwoven with the fundamental laws 



230 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

of the nation that these laws could not well be 
executed without it; that the laws knew no 
other title than that of king, and the people 
knew no other; but that this title, name, or 
office of king is understood by the people in its 
dimensions, and in its power and prerogatives, 
all of which are made certain by law, together 
with the checks and limitations thereof; and it 
was urged that the laws defining all these, the 
people are familiar with them; and the people 
knowing them love them, and it would not be 
for the safety of the people nor of the parliament 
to obtrude upon them what they do not nor 
cannot understand.^ It was further urged 
by the committee that the people had always 
been unwilling to vary names ; that when King 
James wished to change his title from that of 
King of England to King of Great Britain^ it 
was refused ; as, also, when, in the Long Parlia- 
ment, it was proposed to substitute the name 
of '' representatives " for that of " parliament." 
The committee yet further argued that holding 
to the word Mng -would strengthen the new 
settlement that was now pending in the parlia- 
ment, for thus there would be nothing done de 

* As, for example, the name proUdor^ instead of king. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 231 

novo^ but thiTigs would merely revolve in their 
old current. And, finally, it was alleged that 
the change of title from protector to Icing would 
tend to the security of the chief magistrate him- 
self, and of all who act under him, as well as 
of the whole people. 

To these considerations, urged by the com- 
mittee upon the mind of the protector, he 
calmly responded, that though the kingship 
was not a mere title, but the name of an office 
which runs through the whole of the law, yet it 
is not so by reason of the name, but by reason 
of what the name signifies; and he hence in- 
ferred that the supreme authority acting un- 
der any other name, as protector^ for example, 
would be equally eifectual ; and he asserted that, 
for himself, he would rather have any name for 
that parliament than any other name without 
it. He was confident. that what the parliament 
should settle in respect to the name of the chief 
magistrate will run and have currency through 
the law, and will lead " the thread of govern- 
ment" equally well as what had been in the 
past. He submitted that, save that there had 
been a long continuance of the kingship, its 
authority was from the same source. It had its 



232 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

origin somewhere, and that somewhere was the 
consent of the whole people ; and the consent 
of the whole, he said, will still be the needle 
that will lead the thread, and no man wonld 
pretend right against it or wrong. 

He hence modestly inferred that the argu- 
ments drawn from the laws of the land proved 
not the necessity of the title king, but merely 
its convenience J and that what the present 
parliament should enact and settle would be 
just as authoritative as matters that were en- 
acted in the olden times. 

He then passes from the ground of expediency 
to that of experience ; and reminds the com- 
mitteee that the supreme authority had, in 
recent years, been maintained under two other 
names than that of king : by the Long Parlia- 
ment under the title of heepers of the liberties 
of England^ and by himself under the title 
of protector; and he could truly assert that 
under both of these administrations, without 
the title of king, almost universal obedience 
had been yielded by all ranks and sorts of 
men. The new name or title was obeyed, did 
pass current, was received, and did carry on 
the public justice of the nation. This was true 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 233 

under the Long Parliament ; and then, as to 
his own administration, under the name of 
protectorate^ he gave it as his sober judgment, 
though he would not speak it vainly, that, since 
the beginning of that change in government, 
there had been as free a procedure of the laws 
as in those years called the " halcyon days of 
peace," under the reigns of Elizabeth and 
James I. 

He concluded, therefore, that these two ex- 
periences of another name than king for the 
chief magistracy manifestly showed that it 
was not a tUle^ though ever so intimately inter- 
woven with the laws, that gives the law its free 
passage, and enables it to do its office without 
interruption ; and he doubted not that if a par- 
liament should determine that another name 
should run through the laws, it would run with 
as free a passage as that of king. 

In further arguing with the committee, the 

protector urged his fears that if the title of 

king should be resumed by the chief magistrate, 

it would be a grief to multitudes of the best 

people of the land. He was certain that, very 

generally, good men did not swallow the title 

of king ; and though it was no part of their 

15 



234 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

goodness to be unwilling to submit to the judg- 
ment of the parliament, yet he begged that he 
might not be obliged to take any step, or as- 
sume any title that would be aiHictive to them. 
Such dislike of a name might be a weakness and 
infirmity ; but he thought that by being patient 
and indulgent toward it they would be better 
able to eradicate the spirit and principle of dis- 
obedience from the nation. 

Cromwell's experience as a soldier had taught 
him the value of God-fearing people, and he 
was extremely reluctant to adopt any measures 
that would tend to disaffect them. It pained 
him to think of the nation's sacrificing a single 
friend of the country. 

The protector having finished his speech, the 
interview was adjourned to the next day at 
three o'clock. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 235 



CHAPTER L. 

A further Interview between the Committee and the Pro- 
tector — Still another Interview on the next Day — Another 
Meeting ten Days afterward. 

The protector being indisposed, the adjourned 
interview witli the Committee of Ninety-Xine 
did not occur till the 16th, when several mem- 
bers proceeded to answer the arguments which 
had been presented at the last interview. 

Another meeting took place on the 20th ; 
and another speech of the protector to the 
committee, partially responding to their argu- 
ments at the preceding meeting. We pass this 
speech by, except to quote from it these few 
words of his highness : 

" And now when I say (I speak in the plain- 
ness and simplicity of my heart, as before 
Almighty Cod) I did, out of necessity, under- 
take that business, which I think no man but 
myself would have undertaken, it hath pleased 
God that I have been instrumental in keeping 
the peace of the nation to this day ; and have 
kept it under a title {protector) which, some say, 
signifies but a keeping of it to another's use, to a 



236 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

better use ; a title which may improve it to a bet- 
ter use ! And this I may say : I have not desired 
the continuance of my power or place either un- 
der one title or another ; that have I not ! . . . 
and, therefore, I say, if the wisdom of this par- 
liament — I speak not this vainly, or as a fool, 
but as to God — if the wisdom of this parliament 
should have found a way to settle the interests 
of this nation upon the foundations of justice 
and truth and liberty to the people of God, 
and concernments of men as Englishmen, I 
would have lain at their feet, or at anybody 
else's feet, that things might have run in such 
a current ! I say I have no pretensions to 
things for myself; to ask this or that, or to 
avoid this or that. I know the censures of the 
world may quickly pass upon me, and are al- 
ready passing ; but, I thank God, I know where 
to lay the weight that is laid upon me — I mean 
the weight of reproach and conteinpt and scorn 
that hath been cast upon me." * 

Alluding to these sentiments, dropping from 
the lips of this great man, a judicious writer 
remarks : " Who has any right to accuse Crom- 
well of dissimulation when he made these 

* Letters, ii, pp. 309, 310. 



LIFE OF OLIYEE CEOMWELL. 237 

solemn declarations ? If lie was calumniated 
in Ms day of power, it is still more easy to 
calumniate him now that he is dead; and in 
this, many individuals have shown no lack. of 
zeal. We feel no inclination for so dishonor- 
able a task. In studying the protector's char- 
acter, let them only exercise a little of that 
impartiality which is due to every man, even 
to the most useless and obscure, and I entertain 
no doubt they will shake off the prejudices 
which darken his memory." * 

Another meeting of the protector and com- 
mittee was held on the following day, when he 
descanted at large on the several provisions of 
the new instrument, suggesting certain altera- 
tions and amendments ; but, to the disappoint- 
ment of tljp committee, making little or no 
allusion to the grand object of the committee — 
the acceptance of the kingship. 

This greq,t matter hangs yet in suspense, 
some imagining that the protector will accept 
the title, others doubting it ; while, as to what 
w-as passing, in these days, in the mind of his 
highness, there is no witness and no report. 

At the end of ten days from the last meeting, 

* D'Aubigne, pp. 242, 243. 



238 LIFE OF OLIVEK CEOMWELL. 

the Committee of Mnetj-l^ine wait again upoii 
the protector with the " Petition and Advice " 
revised, so far as the parliament judged fit to 
accord with the suggestions of his highness in 
his las^^ddress to the committee. He answers 
briefly, and promises to appoint a day when he 
will give his final answer. 



CHAPTEK LI. 

May 8, 1651, the whole Parliament meet the Protector — 
He addresses them hi a brief Speech — Decides the great 
Question, declining the Kingship. 

May 8th, 166Y, was the important day. On 
that day, not the Committee o^ I^inety-Nine 
merely, but the whole parliament in a body, 
by special invitation, attends his highness. He 
addresses them in a brief speech, from which 
we give one or two extracts. After commend- 
ing the act of government for the settlement of 
the national affairs, affirming that " the inten- 
tions and things (embraced by the said act) are 
very honorable and honest, and the product 
worthy of a parliament," he adds : 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 239 

" I have only had the unhappiness, both in 
my conferences with your committees and in the 
best thoughts I could take to myself, not to be 
convinced of the necessity of that thing which 
hath been so often insisted on by you ; to wit, the 
title of king, as in itself so necessary as it seems 
to be apprehended by you. And yet I do, with 
all honor and respect, testify that, cmteris jpari- 
hus^ no private judgment is to be in the balance 
with the judgment of parliament. But in things 
that respect particular persons, every man who 
is to give an account to God of his actions must, 
in some measure, be able to prove his own work, 
and to have an approbation in his own con- 
science of that which he is to do or to forbear. 
And while you are granting others liberties, 
surely you will not deny 7ne this ; it being not 
only a liberty but a duty, and such a duty as I 
cannot, without sinning, forbear, to examine 
my own heart, and thoughts, and judgment, in 
every work which I am to set my hand to, or 
to appear in or for. 

" I must confess, therefore, though I do ac- 
knowledge all the other points, I must be a 
little confident in this, that what, with the cir- 
cumstances which accompany human actions — 



240 LIFE OF OLIVBE CEOMWELL. 

whether they be circumstances of thne or per- 
sons — whether circumstances that relate to the 
whole, or private and particular circumBtances, 
such as compass any person who is to render 
an account of his own actions, I have truly 
thought, and I do still think, that, at the best, 
if I should do anything on this account to an- 
swer your expectation, at the best I should do 
it doubtingly. And certainly whatsoever is so 
is not of faith ; and whatsoever is not so, what- 
soever is not of faith, is sin to him that doth it. 
... I, lying under this consideration, think it 
my duty — only I could have wished I had done 
it sooner, for the sake of the House, who have 
laid such infinite obligations on me. I wish I 
had done it sooner for your sake, and for saving 
time and trouble, and for the committee's sake^ 
to whom I must acknowledge I have been un- 
reasonably troublesome ! But truly this is my 
answer, that (although I think the act of govern- 
ment doth consist of very excellent parts, in all 
but that one thing of the title as to me) I should 
not be an honest man if I did not tell you that 
I cannot accept of the government, nor undertake 
the trouble and charge of it — as to which I have 
a little more experimented than everybody what 



LIFE OF OLIYEE CKOMWELL. 241 

troubles and difficnlties do befall men nnder 
such trusts and in such undertakings. I say I 
am persuaded to return this answer to you ; 
that I cannot undertake this government with 
the title of king. And that is my answer to 
this great and weighty business."^ 

Such was the hnale of this great question of 
Cromwell and the kingship. 

a rpj^Q -j,gg^ q£ ^]^q Petition and Advice, so 

long discussed and conferenced upon, is of 
course accepted ; a much improved frame of 
government with a second house of parlia- 
ment, with a chief magistrate who is to nomi- 
nate his successor, and be king in all points 
except the name." 



, CHAPTER LII. 

Eeflections upon Cromwell and his Decision — Extract. 

Thus did Cromwell decline the crown of 
England ; and it has been well remarked by 
another that "there are few men recorded in 
ancient and modern history who have been able, 
like him, to resist a similar temptation." 

* Letters, ii, pp. 344-346. 



242 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

If it be tliouglit that, in this matter of the 
kingship, we have been too minute, our apology 
is that directly here it is that the enemies of 
Oliver Cromwell seem to have been the most 
eager to ^x upon him the charge of hypocrisy 
and unholy ambition. But facts, as we have 
presented them, seem to us to prove all such 
attempts to be utter failures. It is not neces- 
sary to assert that the crown of England pos- 
sessed no attractions for Cromwell. We may 
concede that it did present to his mind a very 
strong attraction. Nor are we convinced that 
such a fact, if fact it were, was any proof of 
wrong or guilt on his part. Desire for place or 
office — even the highest office — is not, in itself, 
a sin ; it may be a positive virtue rather, as 
being coveted with a simple view of a stronger 
and wider influence for good. 

Or suppose the kingship, as millions have 
supposed, to have been a temptation to the 
mind of Cromwell — a temptation which he 
very reluctantly resisted ; yet is it nothing that 
he actually did resist it ? resist it, when to ac- 
cept the crown was for successive weeks pressed 
upon him by the parliament of England, and 
with a voice that seemed to the protector little 



LIFE OF OLIYER CEOMWELL. 243 

less than law? wi:h a pressure that was over- 
shadowing, with arguments that were next to 
overwhelming, and with an earnestness and a 
plausibility which would have vanquished al- 
most every other man, and which it required the 
firmness and the conscientiousness of a Crom- 
well to resist ? You are pleased to assert that 
this man was ambitious, and was eager for the 
meed of royalty. But facts are against you. 
Almost his entire history is against you. His 
genius, manner of spirit, conversations, letters, 
speeches, all are against you ; and the crowning 
fact of his cautious, deliberate rejection of the 
kingship is decisive, and should ever have been 
recognized as the end of all controversy touch- 
ing this grave matter. JSTever, we think, might 
a man more sincerely and fully than Oliver 
Cromwell adopt the great words of the apostle, 
as h.e affirmed that " Our rejoicing is this : the 
testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity 
and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, 
but by the grace of God, we have had our 
conversation in the world." 

Harmonious, in the main, with these views 
is the following extract : 

Was there no ambitious sentiment in the 



244 LIFE OF OLIVER C:^iOMWELL. 

protector, especially in this affair of tlie king- 
sliip ? To deny this absolutely would be mak- 
ing Mm superior to the conditions of mortal 
existence. ' There is no man that sinneth not,' 
says the Scripture. Oliver was not exempt 
from this general rule. All that we would say 
is, that he was conscientious in this struggle, 
and that if the flesh lusted against the spirit, 
the spirit fought against the flesh. Cromwell 
possessed a living faith; and that faith is a 
power which every day grows stronger in the 
heart. The object for which God places this 
heavenly and divine power in man is to over- 
come the evil, the earthly, and the sensual 
powers that have taken up their abode in his 
bosom. The question, therefore, is not whether 
these two contrary elements — the new man and 
the old man — do not exist together in the same 
individual; but whether the struggle between 
them is sincere and loyal. In Oliver the strug- 
gle was indeed sincere." * 

*D'Aubigne, p. 246. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 245 



CHAPTEE LIII. 

A new Inauguration — Brilliant Picture of the Scene — Par- 
liament prorogued to January 20. 

The new inauguration ensues. The full recog- 
nition of the protectorship by the parliament 
itself calls for a second and more imposing in- 
stallation. "He cannot yet, as it proves, be 
crowned king," says Carlyle ; " but he shall be 
installed in his protectorship with all solemnity 
befitting such an occasion." 

As we have thus invited Mr. Carlyle to intro- 
duce this scene of the new inauguration, we 
will permit him, with his own sprightly pencil, 
to complete for us the picture. 

"Friday, 26th June, 1657, the parliament 
and all the world are busy with this grand 
affair ; the labors of the season being now com- 
plete, the last finish being now given to our 
new instrument of government, to our elaborate 
^ Petition and Advice,' we will add this top- 
stone to the work, and so, amid the shoutings 
of mankind, disperse for the recess. Friday at 
two o'clock, 'in a place prepared,' duly pre- 



24:6 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

pared witli all manner of ' platform,' ' cloths of 
state,' and ' seats raised one above the other,' 
'at the npper end of Westminster Hall.' 
Palace-yard and London generally is all a tip- 
toe out of doors. Within doors Speaker Wid- 
drington and the master of the ceremonies have 
done their best ; the judges, the aldermen, the 
parliament, the council, the foreign embassadors 
and domestic dignitaries without end; chairs 
of state, cloths of state, trumpet-peals and ac- 
clamations of the people. Let the reader con- 
ceive it ; or read in old pamphlets the ' exact 
relation ' of it, with all the speeches and phe- 
nomena, worthier than such things nsually are 
of being read. 

" ' His highness standing under the cloth of 
state,' says Bulstrode, whose fine feelings are 
evidently touched by it, Hhe speaker, in the 
name of the parliament, presented to him, first, 
. a rohe of purple velvet ; which the speaker, as- 
sisted by Whitlocke and others, put upon his 
highness.' Then he, the speaker, delivered to 
him the BiUe richly gilt and bossed, an affect- 
ing symbolic gift. After that the speaker girt 
the sword about his highness, and delivered 
into his hand the scepter of massive gold. And 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 247 

then, this done, he made a speech to him on 
the several things presented; eloquent, mel- 
liflnons speech, setting forth the high and true 
significance of the several symbols ; speech still 
worth reading, to which his highness answered 
in silence by dignified gesture only. Then 
Mr. Speaker gave him the oath ; and so ended 
really in a solemn manner. And Mr. Manton, 
by prayer, recommended his highness, the par- 
liament, the council, the forces by land and sea, 
and the whole government and people of the 
three nations, to the blessing and protection of 
God. • And then the people gave several great 
shouts, and the trumpets sounded ; and the pro- 
tector sat in his chair of state, holding the 
scepter in his hand ; a remarkable sight to see. 
On his right sat the embassador of France, on 
his left some other embassador ; and all around, 
standing or sitting, were dignitaries of the high- 
est quality; and near the earl of Warwick 
stood the Lord Yiscount Lisle, stood General 
Montague and Whitlocke, each of them having 
a drawn sword in his hand, a sublime sight to 
some of us ! And so this solemnity transacts it- 
self, which at the moment was solemn enough ; 
and is not yet, at this or any hoUowest moment 



248 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

of human history, intrinsically altogether other. 
A really dignified and veritable piece of sym- 
bolism, perhaps the last we hitherto, in these 
quack-ridden, historic ages, have been privileged 
to see on such an occasion." ^ 

Such was the final and crowning act of this 
session of the parliament, which was immedi- 
diately prorogued to the 20th of January 
following. 



CHAPTER LIY. 

Administration prospers in the Interim — England's Proud 
Position — Marriages of Lady Prances Cromwell and Lady 
Mary Cromwell — Protector's Manner of Life. 

Thus the interim between the first and second 
sessions of this parliament was from June 26, 
1657, to January 20, 1658, about seven months. 
In this brief interval the administration 
seems to have been prosperous ; public affairs 
had reached a settlement. The allied English 
and French armies against Spain were success- 
ful, attempted insurrections were suppressed, 
and England was holding a proud position 
among the nations of Europe. 

* Letters, i, pp. 350, 351. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 249 

Meantime, in ^^Tovember, was married Lady 
Frances Cromwell, youngest daughter of- the 
protector, to Robert Rich, son of Lord Rich, 
grandson of the earl of Warwick and of the count- 
ess dowager of Devonshire. Also, on Thurs- 
day of the following week. Lady Mary Crom- 
well, an older sister, was wedded to Lord Fran- 
conburg, a young man of extraordinary parts. 

Thus was it with Cromwell's public and 
domestic affairs as the new parliamentary 
session approaches. 

Extracts from several sources present us with 
the following picture of the protector's manner 
of life and administration at this period : '' The 
court and the manner of life of Cromwell con- 
tinued quiet and modest as they ever had been ; 
not wanting, however, a certain sober dignity, 
which was more imposing than the tinsel and 
parade of most royalties. Everything at Hamp- 
ton Court, his favorite residence, had an air of 
sobriety and decency ; there was no riot, no de- 
bauchery seen or heard of; yet it was not a 
dull place, the protector's humor being natural- 
ly of a cheerful turn. " He now provided him 
a guard of halberdiers in gray coats, welted 

with a black velvet, over whom Walter Strick- 

16 



250 LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 

land was captain. He frequently diverted him- 
self at Hampton Court, wMther he went and 
returned, commonly in post, with his guards 
behind and before. His own diet was spare and 
not curious, except in public treatments, which 
were con&tantly given the Monday in every week 
to all the officers in the army not below a cap- 
tain, when he used to dine with them. A table 
was likewise spread every day of the week for 
such officers as should casually come to court. 
He was a great lover of music, and entertained 
the most skillful in that science in his pay and 
family. He respected all persons that excelled 
in any art, and would procure them to be sent 
or brought to him. Sometimes he would, for a 
frolic, before he had half dined, give order for 
the drum to beat and call in his foot-guards, who 
were permitted to make booty of all they found 
on the table. Sometimes he would be jocund 
with some of the nobility, and would tell them 
what company they had lately kept ; when and 
where they had drank the king's health and 
the royal family's; bidding them, when they 
did it again, to do it more privately ; and this 
without any passion, and as ' festivous, droll 
discourse.' He delighted especially to sur- 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 251 

round himself witli the master minds of Ms age 
and conntry, with men who had left immortal 
names behind them. Milton, the Latin secre- 
tary, was his familiar ; honest Andrew Marvel 
was his frequent guest ; Waller was his friend 
and kinsman ; nor was the more youthful genius 
of Dryden excluded. Hartlib, a native of Po- 
land, the bosom-friend of Milton, and the advo- 
cate of education, was honored and pensioned ; 
and so was Usher, the learned and amiable 
archbishop, notwithstandiDg his prelacy ; and 
John Biddle, called the father of English Uni- 
tarians, received an allowance of a hundred 
crowns a year. Even the fantastic, plotting 
Catholic, Sir Kenelm Digby, was among the 
protector's guests, and received support or 
assistance on account, chiefly, of his literary 
merits. The general course of the protector's 
government was mild and just. One who was 
his physician, but not his panegyrist, says : 
' Justice (that we may not scourge him beyond 
his desert) was renewed almost to her former 
grace and splendor, as well distributive as com- 
mutative ; the judges executing their office with 
equity and justice, far from covetousness ; and 
the laws suffered, without delay or let, to have 



252 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

tlieir fall force upon all, (a few days excepted, 
where he himself was immediately concerned.) 
The lives of men, outwardly at least, became 
reforlned either by withdrawing the incentives 
to luxury, or by means of the ancient laws now 
newly put into execution. There was also a 
strict discipline kept in his court; one could 
find none here that was either drunkard or 
whoremaster, none that was guilty of extortion 
or oppression, but he was severely rebuked. 
!Kow trade began to flourish ; and (to say all in 
a word) all England over, these were halcyon 
days." 



CHAPTEE LY. 

Shadows approaching — The reorganized Parliament — The 
new House of Peers — Bearing of the Commons toward the 
Peers — Wrangling touching the Title to be given to the 
House of Peers — Both Houses summoned to Whitehall — 
Addressed by the Protector. 

But the " halcyon days " were soon to be num- 
bered, and all this bright sunshine was presently 
to be quenched in quick and cold eclipse. 
The new parliamentary sessidn approached, 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 263 

and there were strong probabilities tbat it 
would be different from the former session. 

Two grand points of difference will at once 
occur to the reader: first, tbe addition of a 
House of Lords ; and, second, the admission to 
the House of Commons of the hundred or more 
members who, for want of certificates, were 
excluded at the first session. These are new 
elements, and such as would probably occasion 
disturbance. 

The creation of the new peerage must have 
been a matter of much delicacy, and the more 
so as multitudes, and no small proportion of 
the Commons, were disaffected to the whole 
measure. It was provided in the new instru- 
ment of government that the peers should be 
nominated by the protector and confirmed by 
the Commons. Sixty4hree in all were sum- 
moned, of whom about forty took their seats, 
mostly selected from the House of Commons, 
^' the worst effect of which was that his highness 
thereby lost some forty favorable votes in that 
other House, which, as matters went, proved 
highly detrimental there." 

The Commons were determined that the 
House of Lords should be second and inferior 



254: LIFE OF OLIVEE CKOMWELL. 

to the House of Commons in all respects. The 
latter would not recognize them as "Lords," or 
as the "TJi3per House," but simply as the 
'' Other House," and protested against their 
assuming any other title. 

The parliament, comprising both houses, 
assembled at the day appointed, January 20, 
1658. All are summoned to the House of 
Lords, and the protector addresses them briefly. 

Shadows are thickening now both alM*oad and 
at home. The two Houses had scarcely sepa- 
rated after the address before the Commons 
commenced wrangling about the title to be given 
to the House of Lords. This weak controversy 
continued day after day, to the neglect of affairs 
of. great importance that were pressing, and 
demanded immediate attention. 

Accordingly, on the fifth day after the assem- 
bly of parliament, a message from the protector 
summoned both Houses to Whitehall to listen 
to another address from his highness. 

He gave it to them as his opinion that not 
merely the wellbeing but the being itself of 
the nation was at stake; that it was a time 
when the most serious and wise counsels were 
needed ; that the grand design now on foot, in 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 255 

comparison witli wliicli all other designs are but 
low things, is, whether the Christian world shall 
be all Foperj ; that the great Protestant cause 
was struck at; that if all the Protestants in 
Europe had but one head, that head had in the 
late persecution of the Waldenses been cut off; 
that the pope was influencing all the potentates 
of Europe to the ruin of Protestantism. 

In speakiog of home affairs he adds : " We 
have two blessings, peace and the Gospel. Let 
us have one heart and soul ; one mind to main- 
tain the honest and just rights of this nation. 
I If you run into another flood of blood and war, 
this nation must sink and perish utterly. I 
beseech you, and charge you in the name and 
presence of God, and as before him, be sensible 
of these things, and lay them to heart. If you 
prefer not the keeping of peace, that we may 
see the fruit of righteousness in them that love 
peace and embrace peace, it will be said of this 
poor nation. Actum est de Anglia^ It is all over 
with England. 

" While I live and am able, I shall be ready 
to stand and fall with you. I have taken my 
oath to govern according to the laws, and I 
trust I shall fully answer it. And know, I 



256 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

souglit not tliis place; I speak it before God, 
angels, and men ; I did not. You souglit me 
for it, you brought me to it. And I took my 
oath to be faithful to the interests of these na- 
tions ; to be faithful to the government. All 
those things were implied, in my eye, in the oath 
to be faithful to the government upon which we 
have now met. And 1 trust, by the grace of God, 
as I have taken my oath to serve this Common- 
wealth on such an account, I shall, I must see it 
done according to the articles of government. 
That every just interest may be preserved ; that a 
godly ministry may be upheld, and not affront- 
ed by seducing and seduced spirits ; that all 
men may be preserved in their just rights, 
whether civil or spiritual. Upon this account 
did I take oath, and swear to this govern- 
ment ! And so, having declared my heart and 
mind to you in this, I have nothing more to 
say, but to pray God Almighty bless you." ^ 

"Letters, ii, 388. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 257 



CHAPTER LYI. 

Protector's Appeal of no avail — Mischievous Debatings — 
Infatuation — Cromwell indignant — Prorogues the Parlia- 
ment — Last Public "Words. 

Strange to saj, tlie noble appeal of tlie pro- 
tector, glanced at in the last chapter, was of 
little or no avail. Miserable and mischievous 
debatings continued — debatings abont the Other 
House, and even about the protectorate itself. 
It would seem that these men were infatuated. 
Ignoring all the great and pressing interests and 
dangers of the nation, thej appeared unable to 
look beyond the little narrow circle of their own 
jealousies, envyings, and bickerings. Various 
important bills and notices of bills were intro- 
duced by well-aifected members, who attempted 
some useful legislation, but nothing could be 
accomplished. Cromwell was indignant and 
discouraged ; and after days more of vain dis- 
putings, he, on the 4th of February, and with- 
out giving any intimation of his design, went 
to the House of Lords and summoned the Com- 
mons to attend him there. He addressed them 



258 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

in another speech — a scathing speech, whose 
closing words were : "I think it high time that 
an end be put to your sitting, and I do dissolve 
this parliament. And let God be judge be- 
tween you and me ! " These were the last 
public words of Cromwell. 

]^ot an hour too soon, this proroguing of 
such a parliament. ^'Believe me," writes 
Hartlib, "believe me it was of such necessity 
that if their session had continued but two or 
three days longer, all had been blood in city 
and country upon Charles Stuart's account." 

" The protector," says another writer, " was 
never in so much danger as at this moment; 
the republicans and their friends were ready 
both with arms and men to fall in with swords 
in their hands; the army was murmuring for 
want of pay ; the royalists were spirited and 
combined by means of the marquis of Ormond, 
who, during the sitting of parliament, had 
passed several days in disguise and conceal- 
ment in the city of London, and had returned 
safely to Charles II. at Bruges; the Levelers 
and Fifth-monarchy men were pledging their 
desperate services to those that could dupe 
them; Cromwell's old friend Harrison, who 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 259 

had been released from tlie Tower after a short 
confinement, 'was deep in the plot;' Colonel 
Silas Titus, a Presbyterian royalist, or Colonel 
Sexby, or whoever was the author of the 
famed tract entitled 'Killing no Murder,' had 
invited all patriots to assassination, proclaiming 
that the greatest benefit any Englishman could 
render his country would be to murder Crom- 
well ; and yet the protector, even sick and dis- 
pirited as he was, was capable of conjuring this 
universal storm. He called a meeting of of- 
ficers ; he harangued the city and common 
council; beheaded Dr. Hewitt and Sir Henry 
Slingsby ; threw other plotters into prison ; 
hanged three that were taken with arms in their 
hands at Cheapside ; and not only preserved his 
authority at home, but also prosecuted his wars 
abroad with vigor and success." * 

Another extract here from Carlyle. 

" The lord protector, his parliament having 
been dismissed with such brevity, is somewhat 
embarrassed in his finances. But otherwise his 
affairs stand well, visibly in an improved con- 
dition. Once more he has saved Puritan En- 
gland ; once more approved himself invincible 

* Pictorial History,, iii, p. 412. 



260 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

abroad and at home. He looks with confi- 
dence toward summoning a new parliament 
of juster disposition toward Piiritan England 
and him. "With a parliament, or, if extremity 
of need arrive without a parliament, and in 
spite of parliaments, the Puritan Gospel 
cause, sanctioned by a higher than parliaments, 
shall not sink while life remains in this man. 
ISTot till Oliver Cromwell's head lies low shall 
English Puritanism bend its head to any created 
thing. Erect, with its foot on the neck of 
hydra Babylon, with its open Bible and drawn 
sword, shall Puritanism stand, and with pious 
all-defiance victoriously front the world. That 
was Oliver Cromwell's appointed function in 
this piece of sublunary space, in this section of 
swift-flowing time ; that noble, perilous, painful 
function ; and he has manfully done it, and 
is now near ending it, and getting honorably 
relieved from it." * 

* Letters, ii, p. 399. 



LIFE OF OLIVEE CEOMWELL. 261 



CHAPTER LYII. 

Death of Frances Cromwell's Husband — Lady Claypole — 
Her distressing Sickness — The Protector's deep Sympathy 
with his dying Daughter — Her Death — The Father's 
overwhelming Sorrow — Scripture Consolation. 

"Not till Oliver Cromwell's head lies lo# shall 
EnglaDd's Puritanism bend its head to any cre- 
ated thing," Even so ; but how soon now must 
* that " head lie low."" Dark days are gathering 
rapidly over the protector's household. Within 
a fortnight after the dissolution of the parliament 
died Mr. Rich, the husband of Frances Crom- 
well, and only four months after their mar- 
riage. Thus, at seventeen years of age, poor 
Prances was left a widow. 

Of the protector himself w^e quote from 
Carlyle : 

" Oliver's look was yet strong, and young for 
his years, which were fifty-nine last April. The 
* threescore and ten years,' the Psalmist's limit, 
which probably was often in Oliver's thoughts 
and those of others there, might have been an- 
ticipated for him. Ten years more of life; 



262 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

which we may compute would have given an- 
other history to all the centuries of England. 
But it was not to be so; it was to be other- 
wise. Oliver's health, as we might observe, 
was but uncertain in late times; often 'indis- 
posed' the spring before last. His course of 
life had not been favorable to health! 'A 
burden too heavy for man,' as he himself with 
a sigh would sometimes say. Incessant toil; 
inconceivable labor, of head and heart and 
hand; toil, peril, and sorrow manifold, con- 
tinued for near twenty years now, had done 
their part: those robust life-energies, it after- 
ward appeared, had been gradually eaten out. 
Like a tower, strong to the eye, bnt with 
its foundations nndermined^ which has not 
long to stand, the fall of which, on any shock, 
may be sudden."* 

In the summer, Lady Claypole, the protect- 
or's favorite daughter, Elizabeth, lay sick unto 
death at Hampton Court. She seems to have 
been a person of great excellence, and whom 
all the world loved. Her disease was of a very 
distressing character, and her sufferings for 
many days and nights were intense and dread- 

* Letters, ii, p. 401. 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 263 

ful. Her father was continually at her bed- 
side, unable to attend to any business whatever, 
his great heart breaking with " sorrow upon sor- 
row." For Cromwell was a most affectionate 
and tender father, and it is presumable that 
the profound sympathy of his spirit with his 
dreadfully afflicted and dying daughter, joined 
with other sufferings connected with his official 
position, was too much for him, and fatally 
undermined his life. ^' The sorrow of the 
world worketh death." 

Elizabeth's death, which occurred on the 6th 
of August, overwhelmed the father with an- 
guish. A few days after, being then sick him- 
self, he called for his Bible and requested one 
to read to him from Philippians iv : '' JSTot that 
I speak in respect of want; for I have learned 
in whatsoever state I am therewith to be con- 
tent. I know both how to be abased, and I 
know how to abound. Everywhere, and by all 
things, I am instructed ; both to be full and to 
be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 
I can do all things through Christ who strength- 
en eth me." 

He then said: "This scripture did once save 
my life when my eldest son died, which went 



264 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 

as a dagger to my heart ; indeed it did." He 
added: "It is trae, Paul, you have learned 
this, and attained to this measure of grace ; bnt 
what shall / do ? Ah, poor creature, it is a 
hard lesson for me to take out ! I find it so. 
But reading on to the thirteenth verse, where 
Paul saith, 'I can do all things through Christ 
which strengtheneth me; then faith began to 
work, and his heart to find support and com- 
fort, and he said thus to himself: He that was 
Paul's Christ, is my Christ too ! And so drew 
waters out of the well of salvation." * 



CHAPTER LYin. 

Cromwell himself falls Sick — Case alarming — Great Prayer 
in bis behalf — Some of his last Words — Death — Extract 
from Carlyle. 

As the days passed the protector himself was 
now sick, and grew sicker and still sicker ; and 
as his case became alarming, prayer on every 
side was incessantly and earnestly ofiered on 
his behalf. " For there were many hearts,"' 
says Carlyle, " to whom the nobleness of this i/ 

* Letters, ii, pp. 403, 404. 



LIFE OF OLIYEE CEOMWELL. ' 265 

man was known." He adds truly: "It is a 
great scene of world-history, this in old White- 
hall ; Oliver Cromwell drawing nigh to his end ; 
the exit of Oliver Cromwell and of EngKsh/ 
Puritanism; a great light^ one of our few 
authentic solar luminaries going down amid 
the clouds of death. Like the setting of a 
great victorious summer sun, its course now 
finished." 

But let a few of his own words speak for him 
amid this great and last trial. 

" Lord, thou knowest, if I do desire to live 
it is to show forth thy praise and declare thy 
works." 

"The Lord hath filled me with as much 
assurance of his pardon and his love as my soul 
can hold." 

" I think I am the poorest wretch that lives, 
but I love God, or rather, am beloved of 
God." 

"I am a conqueror, and more than a 
conqueror, through Christ that strengtheneth 
me." 

A day or two before he died he was heard to 

utter the following prayer, which was noted 

down by his attendants : 

17 



266 LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 

" Lord, though I am a miserable and wretch- 
ed creature, I am in covenant with thee through 
grace, and I may, I will, come to thee for thy 
people. Thou hast made me, though very un- 
worthy, a mean instrument to do them some 
good, and thee service; and many of them 
have set too high a value upon me, though 
others wish, and would be glad of, my death. 
Lord, however thou do dispose of me, continue 
and go on to do good for them. Give them 
consistency of judgment, one heart, and mutual 
love ; and go on to deliver them, and with the 
work of reformation ; and make the name of 
Christ glorious in the world. Teach those who 
look too much on thy instruments to depend 
more upon thyself. Pardon such as desire to 
trample upon the dust of a poor worm, for 
they are thy people too. And pardon the 
folly of this short prayer, even for Jesus Christ's 
sake. And give us a good night, if it be thy 
pleasure. Amen ! " 

On the morning of September 3, 1658, Crom- 
well was speechless ; and ere the sun of that 
day went down he had ceased to live. Septem- 
ber 3, the anniversary of the great victory at 
Dunbar, also of the great victory at Worcester 



LIFE OF OLIVER CEOMWELL. 267 

— a day of national thanksgiving for these 
wonderful successes in arms under the general- 
ship of Cromwell — this was also the day of his 
decease. 

Thus the national thanksgiving was changed 
to sadn'ess. " The sorrow of the protector's 
■friendS; and of the majority of the nation, can- 
not be described." "The- consternation and 
astonishment of all people," wrote Faucouberg 
to Henry Cromwell, "are inexpressible; their 
hearts seem as if sunk within them." " I am 
not able to speak or write," said Thurloe; 
"this stroke is so sore, so unexpected, the 
providence of God in it so stupendous, con- 
sidering the person that has fallen, the time 
and season wherein God took him away, with 
other circumstances, I can do nothing but put 
my mouth in the dust and say. It is the Lord. 
... It is not to be said what affliction the 
army and people show to his late highness ; his 
name is already precious. ]N"ever was there 
any man so prayed for.' 

Let Carlyle add, as the conclusion of our 
story of Cromwell : " Oliver is gone, and with 
him England's Puritanism, laboriously built 
together by this man, and made a thing far- 



268 LIFE OF OLIVER CROMWELI,, 

shining, miraculous to his own century, and 
memorable to all the centuries, soon goes. 
Puritanism, without its king, is hingless, an- 
archic; falls into dislocation, self-collision, 
staggers, plunges into ever-deeper anarchy; 
king, defender of the Puritan faith, there can 
now none be found." 



THE END. 






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